thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-03--Nine Things You Need To Know About Coronavirus Today

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The number of confirmed coronavirus cases around the world has now topped a million.
According to official figures, in the UK:
3,605 people in hospital had died after contracting coronavirus as of 5pm on Thursday. Those figures included a further 46 people in Scotland, 24 in Wales, and 12 in Northern Ireland.
More than 38,000 people have tested positive for the virus
More than 173,000 people have been tested for Covid-19.
Here’s the latest on Covid-19:
Premier League to consult players on pay cut
Premier League clubs have unanimously agreed to consult with their players concerning a 30 per cent wage deferral to assist with the payment of non-playing staff during the coronavirus pandemic.
Stars and clubs have come under fire after some furloughed non-playing staff but not looked at players’ wages during the coronavirus crisis.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said on Thursday footballers should “take a pay cut and play their part.”
Premier League shareholders met on Friday and confirmed talks will be held with a view to wage cuts.
It was also acknowledged that the season could not begin in May, with the restart date to be kept under constant review.
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The league also confirmed an immediate advance of £125million to the EFL and the National League.
Queen to address the nation
The Queen is to address the nation on Sunday with a message about the coronavirus outbreak, Buckingham Palace has said.
Queen Elizabeth II will address the nation on Sunday night PA
Expectation had been growing about when the head of state would make a public statement about the unprecedented events that have seen the country go into lockdown to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
Buckingham Palace said in a statement: “Her Majesty The Queen has recorded a special broadcast to the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth in relation to the coronavirus outbreak. The televised address will be broadcast at 8pm on Sunday 5th April, 2020.
“The address was recorded at Windsor Castle.”
Sainsbury’s prevents couples from shopping together
Supermarket Sainsbury’s has asked that couples do not shop together to enforce social distancing and minimise queues at the checkouts.
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In a letter to customers, Sainsbury’s chief executive Mike Coupe said: “From today, we are asking everyone to please only send one adult per household to our shops.
“This helps us keep people a safe distance apart and also helps to reduce queues to get into stores. Our store teams will be asking groups with more than one adult to choose one adult to shop and will ask other adults to wait. Children are of course welcome if they are not able to stay at home.”
London’s NHS Nightingale hospital declared open
The Prince of Wales, who tested positive for coronavirus last week after developing mild symptoms, is now out of self-isolation PA
Health secretary Matt Hancock and NHS staff stand on marks on the ground to ensure social distancing guidelines are adhered to at the opening of the NHS Nightingale Hospital at the Excel centre in London PA
Prince Charles has officially opened London’s new NHS Nightingale Hospital.
Speaking from his home in Scotland, the Prince of Wales said via video-link: “It is without doubt a spectacular and almost unbelievable feat of work in every sense, from its speed of construction – in just nine days as we’ve heard – to its size and the skills of those who have created it.
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“An example, if ever one was needed, of how the impossible could be made possible and how we can achieve the unthinkable through human will and ingenuity.”
The Nightingale, named after nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale, will need an army of up to 16,000 staff in clinical and ancillary roles to keep it running.
Split into more than 80 wards containing 42 beds each, the facility at the ExCel centre will be used to treat Covid-19 patients who have been transferred from other intensive care units across London.
We are officially open! In less than two weeks, @ExCelLondon has been transformed into London's newest hospital, and we will be available as soon as patients across London and the south of England need us: https://t.co/jEyCb1rBNQ pic.twitter.com/TLSg3j4ZxH — NHS Nightingale London (@NightingaleLDN) April 3, 2020
Health secretary Matt Hancock called the temporary hospital an “extraordinary project”.
He also praised the NHS and the way its staff are dealing with the virus crisis.
“In these troubled times with this invisible killer stalking the whole world, the fact that in this country we have the NHS is even more valuable than before,” Hancock said.
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Meanwhile, NHS England announced on Thursday night that two more Nightingale hospitals would be opened in Bristol and Harrogate.
The Bristol hospital – which will be at the University of the West of England – will be able to care for 1,000 patients, while the facility in Harrogate will have capacity for 500.
They will join other sites due to open at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre and Manchester’s Central Complex.
Walsall nurse Areema Nasreen dies after contracting coronavirus
Walsall Manor Hospital nurse Areema Nasreen, who died after contracting coronavirus PA
A 36-year-old nurse and mother-of-three has reportedly died after contracting coronavirus.
Areema Nasreen was being treated at Walsall Manor Hospital in the West Midlands, where she worked.
On Friday, fellow nurse Rubi Akhtar paid tribute to Nasreen online, describing herself as “heartbroken”.
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She said: “She was the most loveliest, genuine person you could ever meet, she went above and beyond for everyone she met. I’m so grateful that I had the honour to call her my best friend, she saw me at my best and my worst and accepted my every flaw.
“I am so broken that words can’t explain. I can’t believe I will not see your smile again. You made me the nurse that I am today, with your support, motivation and inspiration I am the nurse that I am today and I hope I can do you proud Areema.
“I love you so much and I will never forget you. You had so much to live for, I am sorry you didn’t get to see your kids grow up and I’m sorry that you didn’t get to complete your career.”
Another source said Nasreen’s husband had confirmed she passed away just after midnight on Friday.
Dr Samara Afzal tweeted: “I’m lost for words, I beg you all to stay at home and keep everyone safe.”
More than one million people have tested positive for coronavirus around the world
Statista
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The number of confirmed cases topped one million just before 9pm UK time on Thursday, according to the tally from Johns Hopkins University.
However, the real figures are believed to be much higher because of testing shortages, differences in counting the dead and large numbers of mild cases that have gone unreported.
When the counter reached one million, the US accounted for about 236,000 of confirmed cases – more than any other country.
As hot spots flared around the US in places like New Orleans and southern California, it was New York City which was the hardest hit of all, with bodies loaded on to refrigerated mortuary trucks outside overwhelmed hospitals.
Globally, more than 53,000 people are believed to have died after contracting Covid-19.
Heathrow Airport to close one of its runways
A passenger wears a mask as he arrives at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Heathrow Airport will close one of its runways next week as air traffic continues to fall globally amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The London hub will operate its landings and takeoffs from one strip from Monday to “increase resilience and safety for staff, passengers and cargo” throughout the Covid-19 outbreak.
The airport has two runways and will alternate which one they keep open on a weekly basis, a spokesman said.
They added: “Although we are seeing significantly fewer flights at the moment, Heathrow will remain open so that we can continue to play a crucial role in helping to secure vital medical goods and food for the nation during this unprecedented epidemic.”
It comes the day after British Airways announced it was going to furlough more than 30,000 of its staff amid the coronavirus outbreak.
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Gatwick Airport has also significantly scaled back its operations.
On Wednesday, the West Sussex airport closed one of its two terminals, and its runway will only be open for scheduled flights between 2pm and 10pm.
The measures will be in place for a minimum of one month.
Meanwhile, coach operator Megabus announced on Friday morning that it would suspend all its services in England and Wales by Sunday.
A Yorkshire hospice reveals the hurdles is it facing to provide end-of-life care to coronavirus patients
Overgate has been serving the people of Calderdale in West Yorkshire since 1981 with a network of 125 staff and more than 700 volunteers.
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Now it wants to provide care for Covid-19 patients who cannot be saved.
However, according Tracey Wilcocks, director of clinical services at the hospice, a lack of protective equipment is a key problem.
She has a stock of 1,100 normal surgical masks remaining, enough to last 10 days or so – but just 22 of the FFP3 masks required to protect staff supporting coronavirus patients.
“Unlike big organisations, it’s just us to do the research and think and interpret it and think what does this mean for us. That was pretty scary,” she says.
As Overgate prepares to help patients, though, it faces a second crisis no NHS ward has to consider. The hospice, which runs on £4.3m a year, gets nearly two-thirds of its funding from the local community, whether through legacies, fundraising events, or its network of 14 shops.
Coronavirus has forced the hospice to shutter all of its shops and furlough their staff, and to cancel all of its upcoming events, including its Colour Run and Midnight Walk – two of its key sources of revenue.
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“[We’re] not sleeping for fear of what might be coming,” Wilcocks said. “At the moment it’s still very much the calm before the inevitable storm.”
Parents are leaving jobs to look after their children during pandemic
romrodinka via Getty Images
Some parents have left their jobs to look after their children during the coronavirus pandemic, a survey has found.
As UK households ended a second week in lockdown, a survey by Save the Children found that some parents are gravely concerned about children’s mental health and wellbeing.
The survey also revealed a quarter of parents are juggling working from home with childcare duties, while 17% have reduced their working hours to take care of children.
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A further 12% have been forced to take unpaid leave to look after their children, while one in 10 have had to leave their jobs completely.
The survey was carried out between March 24 and 25, involving 1,002 parents with children aged six to 18, as well as youngsters in the same age bracket.
More than half of parents (56%) are worried about their child’s mental health at a time when schools are closed and contact with friends and family is restricted as a result of social distancing.
Asked about the biggest practical concerns that came with looking after their families, parents said ensuring they have food supplies (48%), helping children with schoolwork (44%) and money (38%).
Other issues included job security (20%) and explaining the situation to their child (19%).
The survey was published as Save the Children launched a fundraising appeal for vulnerable children affected by coronavirus.
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The children’s charity announced a new emergency grants programme in the UK to respond to the Covid-19 crisis, which aims to reach thousands of struggling families.
The programme will ensure families have access to early learning resources, as well as goods such as tables and beds, to help build home environments where children can continue learn.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-04--Gogglebox's Lee Has Embarrassing Moment During A Joe Wicks Workout

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Joe Wicks has been getting the nation moving with his daily PE classes, and it seems they’ve even had an effect on the country’s most famous couch potatoes.
Gogglebox’s latest episode saw Lee Riley trying out one of the Body Coach’s home workouts, but it had rather embarrassing results.
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Lee and his best mate Jenny Newby were seen watching Joe on The Andrew Marr Show talking about the success of his YouTube PE lessons, before hosting a live demonstration.
Feeling inspired, Lee jumped up to try out some of Joe’s moves, but was caught off guard when he ripped his jeans right up his bum.
Falling to the floor laughing, Jenny joked: “I thought you’d farted!”
Jenny and Lee on Googlebox Channel 4
Last week, Lee revealed he has actually moved in with Jenny in her caravan so they can continue to film the Channel 4 show together without breaking social distancing rules.
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Friday night’s episode also saw a few regular faces missing from the episode as a result of the measures put in place due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Izzi Warner was replaced by her sister Ellie’s boyfriend Nat, while Sid Siddiqui did not appear alongside his sons for a second week in a row.
I am sorry I will be missing from the Siddiqui sofa again in tonight’s #Gogglebox because of 2 meter social distancing rule but I am sure you will be entertained just as much by the rest of the gang enjoy the show take care be safe lots of love 👋🙏 — sid siddiqui (@goggleboxsid) April 3, 2020
Gogglebox boss Tania Alexander also revealed how narrator Craig Cash had been recording his voiceover in a makeshift studio at home.
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She later added: “It ain’t easy making this at the mo but worth it to hear that you all enjoyed it.”
The show’s makers recently announced that they had taken measures to allow “the families to take part without any contact from crew” with their homes fitted with remote cameras.
Gogglebox continues next Friday at 9pm on Channel 4.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-04--Pink Donates A Million US Dollars To Coronavirus Funds After Battling Virus

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Pink is donating a million dollars (£815,000) to emergency coronavirus funds after testing positive for the virus.
The US singer said she and her three-year-old son Jameson had shown symptoms of Covid-19 and that she tested positive.
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Posting on Twitter, she said they had since been re-tested and were “thankfully negative”.
Pink SIPA USA/PA Images
The 40-year-old, born Alecia Beth Moore, said: “It is an absolute travesty and failure of our government to not make testing more widely accessible”.
Calling the illness “serious and real”, she added: “People need to know that the illness affects the young and old, healthy and unhealthy, rich and poor, and we must make testing free and more widely accessible to protect our children, our families, our friends and our communities.”
Adding that she would donate 500,000 dollars (£407,000) to both the Temple University Hospital Emergency Fund in Philadelphia and the City of Los Angeles Mayor’s Emergency Covid-19 crisis fund, she said: “Thank you to all of our healthcare professionals and everyone in the world who are working so hard to protect our loved ones.
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“These next two weeks are crucial: please stay home. Please. Stay. Home.”
It is not the first time Pink has responded to a crisis in a charitable way.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-04--Keir Starmer Elected Labour Party Leader

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Coronavirus has changed everything. Make sense of it all with the Waugh Zone, our evening politics briefing. Sign up now.
Keir Starmer has been elected leader of the Labour Party.
The announcement of Jeremy Corbyn’s successor was made on Saturday morning over email.
“It’s the honour and privilege of my life,” Starmer said. “I will lead this great party into a new era, with confidence and hope, so that when the time comes, we can serve our country again – in government.”
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Angela Rayner has been elected deputy leader of the Labour Party.
Starmer won the leadership with 275,780 votes, or 56.2%, of the 490,731 votes cast.
Rayner won the deputy leadership with 228,944 votes, or 52.6%.
Starmer’s victory will be seen as a rejection of the Corbyn project by party members, as allies of the outgoing leader had urged them to back Rebecca-Long Bailey.
In the end Long-Bailey won just 135,218 votes, or 27%. Lisa Nandy, the third candidate in the race won 79,597, or 16.2%.
In 2015, Corbyn took 59.5% of the vote – 251,417 of the 422,664 votes cast.
Plans to hold a special conference in central London to reveal the result were shelved as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
Starmer, the former director of public prosecutions who was elected MP for Holborn and St Pancras in London in 2015 before going on to serve as shadow Brexit secretary, takes over as leader immediately.
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Earlier this morning Boris Johnson wrote to opposition party leaders inviting them to a briefing next week on the coronavirus crisis.
The prime minister said “we have a duty to work together at this moment of national emergency”.
Amanda Milling, the chairman of the Conservative Party, congratulated Starmer on his victory.
“The coronavirus is the biggest threat this country has faced in decades, so I call on Keir Starmer to put aside the divisiveness and infighting that has plagued the top of the Labour Party for the last five years, and work with the government to support the national effort,” she said.
Corbyn announced he was standing down as leader following Labour’s dramatic defeat at the December 2019 election.
He had served for almost five years in the post and in his final message to party members as leader on Friday he said “sorry” for having failed to take Labour into government.
But he defended moving the party further to the left than it had been under the leadership of Ed Miliband, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, and said his anti-austerity politics were now “mainstream”.
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Congratulations @Keir_Starmer and @AngelaRayner.
Being Labour Party leader is a great honour and responsibility.
I look forward to working with Keir and Angela to elect the next Labour government and transform our country.#LabourLeadershipElection — Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) April 4, 2020
Corbyn’s allies, including the grassroots campaign Momentum organisation, had urged members to vote for Long-Bailey in order to keep the outgoing leader’s project alive.
But her campaign got off to a slow start and she failed to generate the same enthusiasm among members as Corbyn did when he shocked the party establishment with his win in 2015.
Conceding defeat, Long-Bailey said Starmer “will be a brilliant prime minister”.
“I will do all I can to make that a reality and to ensure the Labour Party gets into government with a transformative agenda at the next election,” she said.
Len McCluskey, the general secretary of the Unite union who had been a strong supporter of Corbyn during his time as party leader, said “now, more than ever, we need a strong, united labour movement”.
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He reminded Starmer that he had “pledged to build upon our party’s radicalism” during the leadership camapign.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-04--David Beckham Jumps On Head-Shaving Bandwagon While In Lockdown

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David Beckham has joined the head-shaving trend sweeping across social media as people stay at home during the coronavirus pandemic.
The former footballer debuted a drastic new look on his Instagram after tiring of his locks during lockdown on Friday.
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Becks showed off the results of his trim with a black-and-white snap of his bald bonce – and we have to say, it rather suits him.
Then again, David has proved over the years that he can pull off almost any hairstyle.
“Just had to be done,” Becks captioned the post.
Celebrity hairdresser Ken Paves commented: “Nobody wears it better!!! You could teach me a thing or two!”
Many people have been sharing videos and pictures of themselves shaving their heads on social media, unable to get to the hairdressers while the country is on lockdown.
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David’s new look echoed 2000-era Beckham when the then-Manchester United player, at the height of his trend-setting powers, made headlines when shaving his head.
David sported a shaved head back in 2000 EMPICS Sport
David, wife Victoria and their kids Cruz, Romeo and Harper have been isolating in their family home in the Cotswolds during the outbreak of the virus.
The couple’s eldest son Brooklyn is in the US with girlfriend Nicola Peltz.
David as we're more used to seeing him these days Michael Reaves via Getty Images
The Beckhams have been keeping their social media followers amused during lockdown.
Last week, Victoria wasn’t impressed when David decided to add his own unique touch to her protective rubber gloves, which she’d earlier dubbed her “new best friend”.
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David also blamed Victoria for farting in a video they shared of them baking a lemon drizzle cake.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-04--Jennifer Aniston Serves Up Delicious Surprise For Nurse With Coronavirus

Friends star Jennifer Aniston joined comedian Jimmy Kimmel on his late night TV show on Thursday to surprise and thank a cardiovascular nurse who has tested positive for Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Kimball Fairbanks, from St. George, Utah, appeared visibly stunned when Jennifer joined the video call she having with the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host.
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Kimball, who has been furloughed from her job and separated from her two children since her diagnosis earlier this week, admitted to surviving mainly off food deliveries. She said her symptoms have been mild.
So, she was further shocked when Jennifer revealed she was to receive a $10,000 gift card from the on-demand delivery company Postmates ― as well as cards for every nurse in her hospital department.
Jennifer Aniston surprised a nurse with coronavirus on Jimmy Kimmel's show Huffington Post
“Wow,” responded Kimball.
“But you have to use it all in one shot,” joked Jimmy.
Watch the full segment in the video above...
During her appearance on the show, Jennifer said she had not found self-isolating amid the coronavirus pandemic “much of a challenge”.
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“I’m a born agoraphobe,” she said, revealing she’d not left her home in three weeks.
Jennifer said she has not left her home in three weeks Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment
“This is kind of a dream – not a dream, it’s obviously a nightmare. But, me personally, it’s not been that much of a challenge.”
She said she had been reorganising her home, revealing: “I was a crazy person the first week, and then I realised I had to pull back because I was going to run out of closets. Thirty more days! I’ve got to pace myself.”
Jennifer also admitted she has been limiting the time she spends watching the news.
She said: “I allow a check-in in the morning and then I’ll do a check-in in the evening, and that is it because basically, it’s regurgitating the exact same thing.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-04--Ant And Dec Reveal Challenges Of Hosting Saturday Night Takeaway From Their Living Rooms

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Ant and Dec have revealed the challenges of presenting Saturday Night Takeaway from home, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The duo have been forced out of the studio they usually host the live variety show from each Saturday night due to social distancing.
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Last week saw the boys present some classic Takeaway moments from their respective living rooms, which they will do again this weekend for the final episode of the series.
However, it has not been as easy for Ant and Dec as people might have thought.
Ant and Dec hosting Saturday Night Takeaway from home ITV
Speaking to Dermot O’Leary on Radio 2, Dec said: “We bought a couple of new mobile phones and had them broadcasting to the nation.
“It’s very different... I’ve got [Ant] on a video conferencing line, just out of shot, and I’m doing it there and you’re just praying that all the technicals hold up.
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“You’re trying your best, and you want it to feel like it’s free and easy and ‘you’re welcome in my home’, but actually there’s a huge amount of nerves because you think, ‘Is all this going to hold up? Is my Wi-Fi going to hold up? Everybody, off the Wi-Fi!’”
Well this is a bit different, isn't it? @antanddec are presenting tonight's show from their sofas.
Tweet us a pic of you and your family watching at home 🏡 #SaturdayNightTakeaway pic.twitter.com/TbkGcL39ZD — Saturday Night Takeaway (@itvtakeaway) March 28, 2020
Ant added: “It’s true. It looks kind of dead easy... but it’s not. There’s a lot more going into it than that.
“And you try to [show] the best part of your house, the best kind of corner to show – [which] you don’t want to show too much of but – you want to say, you know, I want it to look good on the telly.”
Ant and Dec originally tried to carry on hosting the show without a studio audience, but Dec said: “It just got to the point where we couldn’t carry on bringing that number of crew into the studio. And it was impossible then to maintain social distancing and to do the show. Ant and I stand next to each other, but then to stand next to each other two metres apart, we couldn’t do it anymore.”
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Ant and Dec previously hosted the show without a studio audience ITV
He also described the experience of having no live audience as “pretty nerve-wracking”.
“For us, doing those items, so much of our show relies on the audience and we feed off the audience,” Dec said. “So going live without them was pretty nerve-wracking for us, and we’ve just wanted to bring the best show that we could in those circumstances.”
Saturday’s final episode of Takeaway had originally been due to broadcast live from Walt Disney World in Florida, but plans were cancelled last month before social distancing rules came into place when the park closed its doors.
Over 300 lucky viewers were also due to be flown out to Florida and join the telly duo at the spectacular, after winning Places On The Plane over the course of the series. However, ITV said it would still honour the winners’ prizes at a later date.
The final show of the series will now feature repeats of Dermot O’Leary’s I’m A Celebrity...Get Out Of Me Ear, the boys’ Undercover prank on James Corden and the End Of The Show Show that saw them revisit their pop star roots and perform as PJ and Duncan.
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Stephen Mulhern will also be joining the boys via video link for the last Ant vs Dec of the series.
Ant And Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway airs on Saturday at 7pm on ITV.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-04--Six Things You Need To Know About Coronavirus Today

Get the latest on coronavirus. Sign up to the Daily Brief for news, explainers, how-tos, opinion and more.
Millions of Britons have been warned to stay inside as the temperature soars, and the US has been accused of “modern piracy” after reportedly outbidding European countries for masks as coronavirus intensifies global competition for supplies.
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According to official figures published on Saturday afternoon, in the UK:
4,313 people in hospital had died after contracting coronavirus as of 5pm on Friday, an increase of 708 in 24 hours.
A total of 9,406 new people were reported as being tested in the 24 hours to 9am April.
Here’s the latest:
Brits stuck on coronavirus-hit cruise ship land at Heathrow
The MS Zaandam cruise ship Joe Skipper / Reuters
A charter flight carrying British passengers from a coronavirus-hit cruise ship has landed at Heathrow.
More than 200 Brits had been stuck on board the Zandaam and its sister ship the Rotterdam after the Zandaam reported more than a dozen Covid-19 cases, plus 190 people with flu-like symptoms.
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A charter flight carrying passengers from the #Zaandam #Rotterdam cruise ships has landed safely back in the UK, with 214 British people aboard.
The 🇬🇧 has worked closely with our 🇺🇸 partners in Florida, @statedept @browardinfo and @HALcruises to ensure their safe return. — Dominic Raab (@DominicRaab) April 4, 2020
The cruise ships were embroiled in a dispute with Florida officials, who were reluctant to let the ships dock, for fear of further burdening the state’s already-stretched hospitals.
Four people died aboard the Zandaam, including two officially diagnosed with the coronavirus.
The four included 75-year-old Briton John Carter, who died on March 22. His cause of death has yet to be officially revealed, but he was reported to have been on a ventilator in his last days.
The Zandaam, which began its cruise in Buenos Aires on March 7, was refused entry to several Latin American ports after its coronavirus cases emerged, before making a rendezvous with the Rotterdam to transfer its healthy passengers.
On Friday, more than 1,000 passengers – including 200 Brits – from both ships were finally allowed to touch dry land in Fort Lauderdale, where the Zaandam’s cruise had originally been scheduled to end this Tuesday.
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Watford General Hospital tells patients to stay away – even in an emergency
Watford General Hospital has told patients to stay away – even in an emergency – due to a critical incident concerning its oxygen equipment Richard Heathcote via Getty Images
Watford General Hospital has told patients to stay away – even in an emergency – amid a critical incident concerning its oxygen equipment.
In an urgent message on its website, the north London hospital said the only exception was for women in labour.
A small number of patients are being transferred to other hospitals amid the incident.
In a statement, the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust said it had declared a critical incident “as a result of a technical issue with our individual hospital’s oxygen equipment, which does not pose any risk to our patients”.
It said it had asked the public not to attend the hospital.
“A small number of patients are being transferred to other hospitals in the area, with each patient being fully assessed in line with existing safety guidelines before they are moved,” the statement added.
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Saturday 4 April, 4.30pm
Our critical incident remains in place. We are asking that ALL PATIENTS STAY AWAY from Watford General Hospital today except for women attending our delivery suite. — West Herts Hospitals (@WestHertsNHS) April 4, 2020
It comes after NHS England wrote to trusts to urgently warn them to limit the number of people on mechanical ventilators and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines.
The warning was issued after a major NHS hospital in London almost ran out of oxygen for its coronavirus patients on ventilators, the Guardian reported.
Carrie Symonds ‘has coronavirus symptoms’
Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment
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In a tweet, Symonds – who is pregnant – said: “I’ve spent the past week in bed with the main symptoms of coronavirus.
“I haven’t needed to be tested, and, after seven days of rest, I feel stronger and I’m on the mend.”
I’ve spent the past week in bed with the main symptoms of Coronavirus. I haven’t needed to be tested and, after seven days of rest, I feel stronger and I’m on the mend. — Carrie Symonds (@carriesymonds) April 4, 2020
She added: “Being pregnant with Covid-19 is obviously worrying. To other pregnant women, please do read and follow the most up to date guidance which I found to be v reassuring.”
It comes after Johnson tested positive for Covid-19 last Friday. He remains in self-isolation, saying in a video on Friday that he still had a fever.
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Five-year-old among coronavirus deaths in England
NHS England have confirmed that a five-year-old was among the 637 people who were confirmed to have died in the UK in the 24 hours prior to 5pm on Friday.
A total of 3,939 people have died in hospitals in England since the start of the outbreak. The latest figures, published on Saturday afternoon reveal the oldest patient to have died was 104.
Forty of the latest deaths were in people who had no known underlying conditions, aged between 48 and 93.
NHS England said 212 of the deaths of patients with Covid-19 were in the Midlands, with 127 in London, 97 in the North West, 73 in the North East and Yorkshire, 70 in the East of England, 41 in the South East and 17 in the South West.
Some prisoners to be temporarily released
Some prisoners within two months of their release date are to be released. Alan_Lagadu via Getty Images
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Risk-assessed prisoners within two months of their release date are to be temporarily released from jail as part of the national plan to protect the NHS and save lives, Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Robert Buckland has announced.
Buckland said: “This government is committed to ensuring that justice is served to those who break the law.
“But this is an unprecedented situation because if coronavirus takes hold in our prisons, the NHS could be overwhelmed and more lives put at risk.
“All prisoners will face a tough risk assessment and must comply with strict conditions, including an electronic tag, while they are closely monitored. Those that do not will be recalled to prison.”
In March, HuffPost UK reported on the shocking alleged sanitary conditions inside women’s prisons, with inmates reporting being locked down for 23 hours a day and a lack of access to basic hygiene products.
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Infection rates could soar for ‘weeks’ if UK breaks social distancing rules during warm weather
Ben Birchall - PA Images via Getty Images
The public have been warned to stay inside as the forecast warm weather sparks fears that crowds could gather to enjoy the sunshine.
With highs of 20C in London predicted on Sunday, and widespread sunshine set to cover much of the UK across the weekend, there are concerns that a proportion of the British public could flock to beaches and parks after more than a week of lockdown.
Professor Neil Ferguson, author of a report which warned of mass deaths if the UK did not introduce strict controls, said a high level of coronavirus infections could last for “weeks” if people break the social distancing rules this weekend.
He told BBC Radio 4 that the epidemic was expected to plateau in the next week to 10 days, but said people’s behaviour was critical to determining what happens next.
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Asked what would happen if people flout the social distancing rules this weekend, he said: “That moves us to a slightly more pessimistic scenario. We still think things will plateau but we’ll be at quite high levels of infection for weeks and weeks rather than seeing quite a rapid decline as the type seen in China.”
Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer, from Devon and Cornwall Police, told BBC Breakfast that officers would use enforcement as a “last resort” if gatherings did spring up.
He said: “This is a national endeavour, everyone plays their part, it’s the time to put others before self and we’re seeing so many people across local government doing their part, the NHS of course.
“But it’s actually the public, the millions of people, to put others before self to be selfless, not selfish.”
US accused of ‘modern piracy’ after reportedly diverting Europe-bound masks
The US has been accused of using "wild west" tactics to procure PPE. AnanR2107 via Getty Images
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The US have been accused of “modern piracy” after reportedly outbidding other countries for PPE and allegedly diverting a shipment of masks bound for Germany.
Senior officials in France and Germany have said that the US had employed “Wild West” tactics, paying far above the market price for medical–grade masks from China’s number one producer, and had a record of winning contracts by placing a higher bid, even after European buyers believed the deal had already been done.
Brazil’s health minister has also reported a similar incident.
“Money is irrelevant. They pay any price because they are desperate,” one high-level official in German chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling CDU/CSU party told Reuters.
A German government source said: “Americans are on the move, carrying a lot of money.”
In another case, an order of 200,000 masks bound for Germany from a 3M factory in China were “confiscated” in Bangkok, Berlin Secretary of Interior Andreas Geisel, said in a statement, calling it an “act of modern piracy.”
“Even in times of global crisis you shouldn’t use Wild West methods,” he said.
With more than one million cases recorded worldwide, the competition for protective supplies such as masks has rapidly intensified.
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A US Department of Homeland Security official told Reuters that companies and the government have been paying above market price for much of the gear purchased overseas.
The official, who requested anonymity to discuss the matter, said the United States would not stop buying “until we have way too much” and could still be searching out protective gear abroad through August.
“We’ve gotten our hands on every bit of it that we can,” the official said.
China mourns thousands of coronavirus ‘martyrs’
China fell silent on Saturday to remember the thousands of people who died during the coronavirus outbreak. Kevin Frayer via Getty Images
Silence fell over China on Saturday as millions of people mourned the “martyrs” who died during the country’s coronavirus outbreak, with the national flag flown at half mast and all forms of entertainment suspended.
The day of mourning coincided with the start of the annual Qingming tomb-sweeping festival, when millions of Chinese families pay respects to their ancestors.
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At 10am (2am GMT) Beijing time, the country observed three minutes of silence to mourn those who died, including frontline medical workers and doctors. Cars, trains and ships sounded their horns and air raid sirens wailed.
In Beijing, President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders paid silent tribute in front of the national flag, with white flowers pinned to their chest as a mark of mourning, state media reported.
Officials have confirmed more than 3,300 deaths in mainland China as a result of the pandemic, which first surfaced in the central province of Hubei in late 2019.
In Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province and the epicentre of the outbreak, all traffic lights in urban areas turned red at 10am and all road traffic ceased for three minutes.
Some 2,567 people have died in Wuhan, a megacity of 11m people located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze river. Deaths in the city account for more than 75% of the country’s fatalities.
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First case confirmed in the Falkland Islands
A spokesperson for the Falkland Islands has confirmed the news. Andrew Peacock via Getty Images


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-04--Have I Got News For You Fans Can't Get Over How Surreal Its New 'From Home' Format Is

Have I Got News For You returned on Friday night, but not as we know it.
The topical BBC show was forced to adapt after the coronavirus outbreak, with all members of the panel appearing via video link from home.
The footage regulars of Ian Hislop and Paul Merton, guest host Steph McGovern and guests Miles Jupp and Helen Lewis was then placed in a virtual studio that resembled the regular set, but without the all-important studio audience.
Have I Got News For You BBC
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And as much as they were applauded for carrying on with the show in the strangest of circumstances, there was no denying just how damn odd the whole thing was.
Oh my God. Socially distanced #HIGNFY. This is one of the most surreal things I’ve seen so far. pic.twitter.com/KGz0gkK2So — Andy Williams (@andyonpaper) April 3, 2020
This is going to be bloody weird when the repeats come on Dave in 5 years time... #HIGNFY — Kerry 👩🏻🌾 (@myfruitykitchen) April 3, 2020
Can’t remember the last time I laughed so much watching #HIGNFY. Surreal & funny watch. pic.twitter.com/BqixJGcUGa — Jason Keen (@Jason_Keen) April 3, 2020
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This is the most surreal episode of Have I Got News For You I’ve ever watched (and I’ve watched it for decades!). Odd without the studio audience but as topical and on point as ever! #HIGNFY pic.twitter.com/jlgmgW7sug — Michael Hardy (@MichaelKHardy) April 3, 2020
Socially distanced #hignfy ! Surreal but one of the best episodes for ages. Sound needs fixing for next episode! pic.twitter.com/luPvSUefig — William Williams (@AndyinReunion) April 4, 2020
Well, #HIGNFY isn't exactly the same with social distancing, but I'm so glad they're soldiering on - oddly comforting to have our favourite programmes finding an awkward new normal along with the rest of us. — Helen Barnard (@Helen_Barnard) April 3, 2020
Well done #HIGNFY proving the Corona Virus will never fucking beat us. pic.twitter.com/3Xm8NxZVkc — Sgt Rock (@Alw1969) April 3, 2020
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Thank you. It would have been so easy to cancel this, but we are chuckling away at have I got news for you, so thank you for having a go and broadcasting. It beats watching repeats. #HIGNFY — Michelle Temby (@temby24) April 3, 2020
I switched over to watch #HIGNFY and it gave me a good laugh. A bit strange but it served its purpose and Ian Hislop cracked me up 😂
And if you didn’t like it then just turn the channel over 👍 — Craig Mitchell (@craigmitch1991) April 3, 2020
#HIGNFY Under the Circumstances, that was BRILLIANT. I really dont know what people expect, reading some of the comments — Carl Lids (@CarlLids) April 3, 2020
#HIGNFY doing comedy over Zoom and it’s working better than you’d expect. The technical stuff is tricky, sound levels fluctuating, no audience laughter, but they’re making each other laugh and that’s half the battle — Greg Jenner: 'DEAD FAMOUS OUT MARCH 19TH!' (@greg_jenner) April 3, 2020
But the new temporary format wasn’t for everyone, with Piers Morgan claiming he’d had a funnier video call with his friends earlier in the evening.
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My village mates' ZOOM session earlier this evening was a lot funnier than this. #HIGNFY — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) April 3, 2020
You’ll struggle to watch anything more excruciatingly awful in your lifetime than tonight’s #HIGNFY — Alex Littlefield (@A_Littlefield) April 3, 2020
Well #HIGNFY when not filmed in the studio is an unmitigated disaster. Tolerated 3 minutes of it, then had to give up. It just doesn't work at all, absolute shambles. Sometimes technology doesn't help in life, it just makes things far worse ☹ pic.twitter.com/o8nbx5KS6H — Ⓢⓚⓘⓟⓟⓨ (@pipebrush) April 4, 2020
During Friday’s episode, the panel watched a clip of a family from Watford singing their lockdown-themed version of a Les Miserables song, with Paul delivering the verdict: “Dreadful! Absolutely dreadful.”
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Ian replied: “I’m very worried about you Paul.
“Well they keep discovering a lot of new symptoms… one of which is that people have no taste… I mean from your shirt, it’s pretty clear…
“And now, being a really miserable bastard… I didn’t know! But I’d get yourself tested!”
Paul retorted: “You’re calling me a miserable bastard? You’re the man who’s been mentoring me for the past 30 years…!”
Have I Got News For You continues next Friday at 9pm on BBC One.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-04--'I'm Just Doing My Part In A Small Way’ – The Unsung Heroes Fighting Coronavirus

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People across the UK have been praising the heroic actions of workers on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic such as doctors and nurses.
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The nation took part in a mass round of applause to thank carers and NHS staff by taking to their balconies and doorsteps to clap, bang pans and let off fireworks.
The celebration has now become a weekly event to highlight the country’s deepening appreciation for those putting themselves at risk: the deaths of two nurses were announced on Friday alone.
But while medics are undoubtedly fully deserving of praise for their work in tackling the pandemic, there are many others working behind the scenes in crucial roles whose efforts are sometimes overlooked.
They include hospital porters, cleaners, catering staff, security and care workers.
Without the important contribution of some of these workers putting themselves at daily risk of getting ill with the virus, critical work desperately needed would grind to a halt.
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HuffPost UK spoke to some of the unsung heroes playing a necessary part during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The cleaner
Iwo Domeracki, housekeeping supervisor at Christchurch Hospital in Bournemouth Iwo Domeracki
“No one wants to be treated in a dirty hospital. Cleaning is extremely important during this crisis to make sure the virus doesn’t spread.” - Iwo Domeracki, housekeeping supervisor at Christchurch Hospital in Bournemouth
Cleanliness and strict hygiene are always of paramount importance in a hospital setting to prevent the risk of infection – but during the coronavirus pandemic, it is even more essential.
Iwo Domeracki, housekeeping supervisor at Christchurch Hospital in Bournemouth, told HuffPost UK cleaners are the first weapon against the spread of the virus in hospitals.
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Iwo, 31, who has worked in the NHS for 12 years, explained: “Cleaners are at the point where they can help stop the infection from being transmitted to another person.
“With something like coronavirus which unfortunately can survive on surfaces for some time, cleaning is more important than ever.
“Cleaners are in a crucial position and by constantly cleaning things like door handles and railings, we are the first weapon in stopping the spread of the virus in hospitals.”
In his role, Iwo does cleaning, portering, dealing with the post and some security work – duties that are all vital during this time.
He told how cleaning is in great demand at this time, particularly “terminal cleans”, which are carried out following the discharge of a patient with an infectious disease to make everything safe for the next patient.
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“Every time a patient is moved, cleaners have to go and thoroughly clean everything.” he said. “You have to sterilise the room where they were in and everything has to be wiped down with bleach and be completely clean and sterile for the next patient.
“It is not just the risk of spreading coronavirus that we are trying to stop but anything else that can be transmitted. It is very dangerous to have other illnesses at the same time as coronavirus and this is why cleaning is so important.”
Iwo added: “It is really understated how important cleaning is in a hospital. No one wants to be treated in a dirty hospital.
“Cleaning is extremely important during this crisis to make sure the virus doesn’t spread and we want to make it a safe environment for patients, staff and visitors.”
Thoroughly cleaning between patients is of paramount importance in hospitals Ian Robinson
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Iwo has already had to transport the bodies of those who have died after testing positive for coronavirus to the hospital mortuary.
“I have had to deal with some of the patients affected by coronavirus,” he told HuffPost UK. “But if you follow the guidelines and wash your hands properly and wear the equipment when needed, you can minimise the risk to yourself.”
It has been heartening to hear the applause and goodwill of the public during the Clap For Our Carers events, he said.
But he pointed out: “This is also the public who voted for a government which keeps cutting healthcare services and doesn’t fund the NHS properly.
“The NHS is doing an amazing job and it is absurd how much people are doing such as working extra hours and coming out of retirement.
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“But I think some people are greatly under-appreciated. You hear a lot about doctors and nurses and while they are extremely important, it takes so many people to run a hospital.
“All the cleaners, cooks, porters and clerks who do not always get mentioned all come in every day and do their jobs behind the scenes. It is a lot more dangerous than what they signed up for, but they are all willing to do it.”
The care workers
Care workers Michele Adamson and Katy Turner work for charity Caring Connections based in Merseyside Caring Connections
“I do worry about the risk of coronavirus, but you can’t let it eat you up as that’s when you start panicking and making mistakes.” - Michele Adamson, social care worker
Care workers Michele Adamson and Katy Turner work for charity Caring Connections in Merseyside, visiting the homes of vulnerable people who are required to self-isolate for 12 weeks.
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They can carry out up to 15 care calls a day. If they didn’t, some people such as the elderly or those without family wouldn’t see anyone.
Even though they risk becoming ill with coronavirus themselves and taking it back to their families, the pair told HuffPost UK they are remaining upbeat and taking the utmost precautions to prevent potential transmission.
They have even recorded a lighthearted video to highlight the work of hidden heroes and their determination to tackle the crisis head-on.
Michele, 39, a mother of three, told HuffPost UK: “A lot of the people we go to see are elderly and, often, we are carrying out palliative care.
“We have to be so careful in caring for these parents and making sure we protect them against the virus.
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“But we are also leaving our own homes knowing we could potentially be walking into someone’s home and bringing the virus home to our own family.”
Without social care workers, these vulnerable people could end up in hospital, putting even greater pressure on the NHS.
Michele said: “I do worry about the risk of coronavirus, but you can’t let it eat you up as that’s when you start panicking and making mistakes.
“I am a very positive person and I have chosen not to fear it.”
Katy, 29, said her greatest fear was unknowingly passing the virus on to other patients by carrying it house to house.
To prevent this happening, the social care workers continually wash their hands or use hand sanitiser, as well as wearing protective clothing such as masks and gowns and frequently changing their uniforms.
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Katy told HuffPost UK: “If I did get ill with coronavirus, hopefully I am young enough and fit enough to fight it.
“But I don’t want to get it as no one wants to be sick. And if I did get it, my main fear would be the risk to others and giving it to the vulnerable people and the incubation period.”
Paul Growney, chief executive of Caring Connections, told HuffPost UK carers such as Michele and Katy are the lifeblood of the community as they prevent social isolation and maintain people’s independence, health and wellbeing.
He said their work often goes unnoticed and more recognition is needed for this workforce as without them, the whole system falls down.
The porter
Theo Samuels, a hospital porter Theo Samuels
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“I try to talk about things that are completely different so they don’t have to think about why they are actually in hospital.” - Theo Samuels, hospital porter and imaging support worker
Theo Samuels was encouraged to become a hospital porter by his mum, who has been a nurse for many years.
He told HuffPost UK how he soon developed his skills and realised what a privilege the role was and what a difference he could make to patients coming into hospital.
Having a joke and some lighthearted banter can help take people’s minds off why they are in hospital – and a bit of humanity is more important than ever during the coronavirus situation, he said.
Theo, 32, worked for several years as a hospital porter in Birmingham before becoming an imaging support worker – a job in radiography – a few years ago.
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However, he is still performing duties as a porter, mainly as a shift worker.
“It depends on my shift patterns how often I do it, but if I can come in and help as a porter, I will do so,” he said.
Theo says what he loves about portering is making a difference to the day of hospital patients in a small way.
“Every patient is different and I like to get to know them a bit and talk about something a bit different with them,” he explained. “I never know exactly why they are in hospital. Sometimes, it is obvious, but other times, it isn’t.
“I try to talk about things that are completely different so they don’t have to think about why they are actually in hospital. It can be anything from football to the weather or their hobbies or family.
“I have a laugh, joke and banter with them if I can. Sometimes, I get people saying they remember me because I’ve portered them before and that I was funny and brightened up their day.
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“That is nice to hear and I am just doing my part in a small way.”
Hospital porters carry out multiple tasks including transporting patients to different departments, taking them for scans and X-rays, collecting samples and delivering linen.
NHS porters rarely get a mention, but they are doing an absolutely heroic job right now to keep our hospitals moving
Please spare a RT for all of them pic.twitter.com/zynTBq5OaR — NHS Million (@NHSMillion) March 27, 2020
Theo told HuffPost UK working in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic is “extremely tough”, but that he is trying his best to remain positive and do his best for patients.
“When I see everything that is happening on the news, it is heartbreaking,” he said. “But in terms of myself, I don’t necessarily have fears for my own safety.
“It is about going out there and doing the best job I can. If I follow the rules, wear the proper equipment and constantly wash my hands, I am sure I will be fine.
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“You have to keep focused on what you are doing and why you are doing it. If we can help as many people as we can, our role is priceless.”
Theo admits the Clap For Our Carers made him feel very emotional, as if the whole country were giving NHS and carers a boost.
He said: “We all care about doing our job the best we can. In the current circumstances, things do feel pressurised, but we need to focus, communicate well and remember our training.
“Hopefully, we will get through this together and there will be better days to come.”
Unison assistant general secretary Christina McAnea told HuffPost UK: “At this time of national crisis, there’s rightly been a focus on the efforts of the doctors and nurses on the frontline.
“But out of sight in every hospital, care home and local authority is a multitude of staff cleaning, catering and making sure everything runs smoothly and securely.
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“Porters, administrators, care staff, refuse workers, 111 and 999 call handlers, teaching assistants, police staff and security guards are just some of the employees all essential to our public services.
“Many are low-paid and doing jobs in workplaces with the virus. Without them, our essential services would quickly grind to a halt.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-04--These Are The Medics Cutting Their Parental Leave Short To Fight Coronavirus

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“The ward really is like a family – I felt torn between them and my actual family,” said David*, an NHS nurse from Oxford. “But in the end, I felt I couldn’t let my colleagues and patients down by not being there in what is rapidly becoming a crisis.”
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Across the UK, 20,000 former NHS staff have returned to the frontline to help fight Covid-19 – and they have rightly been applauded for their brave decision.
But working alongside them is another group who have made huge personal sacrifices to save lives as coronavirus sweeps the UK – new parents who have ended their maternity or paternity leave early.
David’s baby – who was born on March 17 – spent a week in the high dependency baby unit after a difficult birth. But just four days after they were discharged from hospital, David was back on the specialist surgical ward where he works.
David's baby was born on March 17 and he went back to work on March 25 Supplied.
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“After talking to the ward sister, I felt obligated to return to work early – even though it makes things very difficult at home,” he said. “But it was clear that I would probably be making more difference than any other time in my career by donning my uniform.
“I went back to work on March 25 and – as things are at the moment – three hours into the shift, we had our first Covid-19 death on the ward.”
It was “bitterly disappointing” not to spend two weeks at home with his new baby as David had planned.
“But what I think all of us worry about much more is bringing the virus home. With inadequate PPE, it seems like an inevitability,” he said.
“The trust response to this has been pretty blunt – if you don’t like it, find alternative accommodation. But it would be pretty soul-destroying to be working in these conditions and then go back to an empty hotel room.”
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David added: “Of course, my family are also worried about me too. It’s no secret that healthcare workers are disproportionately likely to die – and I’m probably more at risk having been hospitalised with pneumonia for a week last month.
“But I think almost all clinically-trained staff feel it is their duty to be there and help as many patients as we can.”
David's baby had to spent a week in a high dependency baby unit Supplied
Things have been incredibly full on since David returned to work, he said. “Patients are testing positive for Covid-19 left, right and centre.
“The thing staff are finding most difficult is that – for the most part – it’s too risky for visitors, so patients are having to say goodbye to their partners and kids via video call.
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“You always think the patient could be part of your family – that it could be you saying to your kids you’ll never see them again. A lot of the staff are in tears most of the time.”
But there has been amazing public support for NHS staff, he said. “That is what is keeping most of us going. It’s the little things – someone has put up a sign saying ‘thank you NHS workers’ at the exit to the hospital and that always cheers me up a little.”
Kate, a respiratory specialist trainee doctor in London, has also given up extra time at home with her new baby to help support the NHS.
Having given birth eight-and-a-half months ago, she was due to return to her desk-based research job at the end of April.
But when she spoke to HuffPost UK on Monday, she was preparing for her first shift treating coronavirus patients on Wednesday.
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“For me, it’s a matter of weeks of maternity leave and now is the time the outbreak is happening,” Kate said. “So for me, it’s not a huge sacrifice.
“But I know there are lots of people who are really in agony. People are agonising with their four- or five-month-old babies about whether they should come back.”
Normally, women returning from maternity leave are given a lot of support, she said. But now, the situation means people have to be thrown in at the deep end.
“Childcare has totally fallen apart,” Kate explained. “We were supposed to be doing a nanny-share, but that’s probably not appropriate given what I’ll be doing. And we didn’t get a place at the school because I’m the only key worker in the family.
“So everything has been totally up in the air and you can’t have that sort of cushioned landing that you would like to have.
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“But equally, this is exactly what I’m trained for.”
Sam Edwards Supplied.
Unlike David and Kate, private sector psychotherapist Sam Edwards – who is on maternity leave – doesn’t work for the NHS.
But she has spent the last couple of weeks balancing caring for her two-month-old baby and giving free counselling sessions to NHS staff battling the Covid-19 outbreak.
It comes after she tweeted offering up her help. “It was a middle-of-the-night thing,” she said. “I was in the process of feeding, feeling truly very useless with everything going on, and I thought: ‘I need to feel like somebody other than a breastfeeding mother and I have the skills to offer.’”
She tweeted: “I’m a registered psychotherapist currently on maternity leave. I want to help.
“If there’s any NHS frontline staff who want *FREE* online/telephone counselling during this #pandemic, I’m happy to help. Just drop me a message.”
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I'm a registered psychotherapist currently on maternity leave. I want to help.
If there's any #NHS frontline staff who want *FREE* online/telephone counseling during this #Pandemic I'm happy to help. Just drop me a message.#covid19UK #NHSCovidHeroes
OUR @NHS @NHSuk NEEDS US! pic.twitter.com/sVS8lO1DYC — Sam Edwards (@5amEdward5) March 22, 2020
Since then, Sam estimates 200 people have contacted her for help.
“It’s very, very overwhelming and it’s quite heartbreaking to see that there are so many people out there who want help. And it’s not just medics in the NHS, either.
“I’ve been getting cleaners and cooks who just happen to volunteer at the hospital seeking anything – someone to talk to, someone to tell them that everything is going to be OK.
“It’s frightening, actually. Before I went on maternity leave, I had my own private practice and one of the client groups I actually found difficult to work with was people from the NHS because they generally tend to have a ‘stiff upper lip’ attitude.
“If they’re stressed at work, they keep it to themselves, within the ranks. Very often, they’re quite difficult to counsel because of that. But in this pandemic, they’re desperate. Absolutely desperate to talk, just to anybody.
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“There is nothing special about what I’m doing – I’m just a pair of ears.”
But not everyone who wants to help while on baby leave is able to.
When Elizabeth Dunlop, a deputy nursing sister, heard the NHS needed more staff to tackle coronavirus, despite having given birth in January, she wanted to help.
“At the moment, I’m not in a position to end my maternity leave early because of the childcare implications,” she said. “It’s a problem lots of nurses are having at the moment with young children who wouldn’t fit into the childcare schools are providing.
“Also, my parents are over 70, so they wouldn’t be able to look after the children as they’re classed as a vulnerable group and are having to self-isolate.”
Instead, she asked her NHS trust whether she could do ad-hoc shifts to fit around when her husband could look after their three children.
However, she was told that – while she could to do the 10 mandatory “keeping in touch” shifts staff complete when returning to work – she would not be able to work beyond that due to restrictions on maternity leave.
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“It feels like we’ve been forgotten about as a group, even if it is admittedly a very small group,” Elizabeth said.
“Some of us – I have been talking to other new parents on Twitter – are quite keen to go and help out on an as-and-when basis depending on when need is fluctuating.”
She added: “I absolutely understand why we are a protected group, and there are lots of very good reasons for that.
“But these are not normal times and the health service is under an incredible amount of pressure. Staff are under an incredible amount of pressure. And it’s just a case of being able to provide support where we have got the training and the experience.
“We could help out as well.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-04--29 Classic TV Moments That We'll Never Not Find Hilarious

BBC/ITV/Channel 4/Channel 5
Let’s be honest, laugh-out-loud moments have been all too rare in the last couple of years.
And there’s nothing guaranteed to raise a smirk quite like stumbling on a lol-worthy TV moment you’d completely forgotten about, is there?
So, whether you’re in need of a pick-me-up, or you’re just in the mood for some hilarious nostalgia, here are 29 of our most cherished classic TV moments that we’ll never not find hilarious...
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1. Let’s start off with an obvious one, shall we?
It was the moment that truly kept on giving, as not one but two of Professor Robert Kelly’s children joined him during a live video-link on BBC News, followed very quickly by their panicked mother. Sidenote: after two weeks of lockdown, we’ve never been more convinced he was wearing pyjama bottoms during this call.
2. “How’s Adam?”
The definition of “live TV, eh?”. Jo Joyner’s face when she realised she’d referred to actor Adam Woodyatt, rather than his EastEnders character Ian Beale, said more than we ever could.
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3. And while we’re on the subject of soaps
The late, great Maggie Jones’ delivery as Blanche Hunt never faltered, but her shining moment came during this scene, when her Coronation Street character joined Peter Barlow at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, and wasted no time in tearing into absolutely everyone, including her own family.
4. Sharon Osbourne walking into a door on The X Factor
Sharon Osbourne losing it on the X Factor panel almost always sparked a laugh from us, but the sight of her absent-mindedly walking into a door after being sent out of the room by Simon Cowell is a true stand-out.
5. This unfortunately-named athlete becomes a golden moment on The Chase
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“Mr Walsh, would you like to share with the class what you find so funny about the name Fanny Chmelar?”
6. And who could forget this Pointless contestant’s reaction to her teammate’s wrong answer?
The eye-roll felt around the nation.
7. It feels like a decade ago, but it was actually only 2020 that Iris made her This Morning debut and became a national treasure
Iris’ revelations about her first night with her much younger fiancé are seriously the stuff of TV legend.
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8. And speaking of iconic This Morning pensioners
Ainsley Harriott tip-toeing into this lady’s living room brandishing a frying pan and bellowing “why hellooooo, Jill!” is still one of the best things to ever happen on daytime television.
9. This absolute tirade on Come Dine With Me
This speech just gets increasingly cringe as it goes on, and we love every second of it.
10. Adele tricking everyone into thinking she’s actually an Adele impersonator
Alright even if this one doesn’t have you laughing out loud per se, it’s still so adorable and heart-warming and lovely that it deserves its place on this list.
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11. That time Amanda Holden got pranked by Ant and Dec on Saturday Night Takeaway
Amanda – or should we say “Mandy Pandy” – not suspecting anything until the very, very end just makes for hilarious viewing.
12. Not to mention every single ‘Get Out Of Me Ear’ sketch
Here’s Cheryl’s, but honestly they’re all brilliant.
13. Lee inadvertently eating Jenny’s face pack on Gogglebox
More often than not, the best bits of Gogglebox come when they’re not even watching the TV.
14. Richard Blackwood clearly having no idea what zest is and no intention of asking anyone
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Styling it out doesn’t always work, Richard.
15. Rylan losing it at judges’ houses on The X Factor
The alarming thing is, Rylan has since claimed this went on for even longer in real life than it did on TV. We can only imagine how dehydrated he must have been at the end of it all.
16. This stunning speech from Alison Steadman in Gavin And Stacey
We’ve spoken at length in the past about why Pam Shipman is the true Queen of Essex, and this scene alone proves why.
17. Every time Miss Vanjie was on screen during her time on RuPaul’s Drag Race
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We couldn’t narrow it down to just one moment, so here’s a stunning compilation.
18. Whenever Holly and Phillip review drawings from viewers’ children on This Morning
Has anyone’s laugh ever been as infectious as these two?
19. This positively Shakespearean moment from Celebrity Big Brother in 2016
The drama! The twists! The turns! The black hair ribbons!
20. In fact, let’s just take a moment to remember Gemma Collins’ time in the CBB house
The queen of memays is born.
21. But we all know that’s not Gemma Collins’ most iconic moment
Don’t worry, folks, she was fine.
22. OK, so it’s not *strictly* a TV moment, but trust us when we say this clip of Elaine Paige struggling to talk about Moby Dick on her Radio 2 show will put a smile on your face
Not exactly high-brow comedy but it’s still exactly the sort of laugh we need in our life right now.
23. And if you enjoyed that, then this chat about Dick Van Dyke is probably one for you as well
We take back what we said about Holly and Phil, this is the most infectious laugh we’ve ever heard.
24. And no round-up of hilarious TV moments is complete without Alison Hammond, so here she is bringing a smile to even Harrison Ford’s face...
It’s worth watching right till the very end, for Alison’s “I don’t even drink!” declaration, followed her infamous cackle.
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25. ...here she is getting stuck in a door in a caravan...
Again, followed by an enormous laugh from the woman herself.
26. ...here she is accidentally pushing a man into a canal live on air...
“Get ready, guys!” Reader, they were not ready.
27. ...here she is almost getting arrested when presenting in front of the leaning tower of Pisa...
“Guys, my holiday has turned into The Bourne Identity,” she joked from her hotel room afterwards.
28. ...and here she is breaking a table in the Big Brother house back in 2002
Proving she’s been a joy to watch from the moment she first arrived on our screens.
29. And finally, as if we could end without a mention of this absolute TV gold
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-04--This Is Why You Feel So Tired Right Now

This Is Why You Feel So Tired Right Now

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The days are exhausting, aren’t they?
For those of us attempting to work from the sofa, tiredness is taking over – and it’s not like we can even blame the commute!
Psychotherapist Lucy Beresford says it’s not surprising people are feeling more drained than usual, because “psychologically, we are hard-wired for growth and stimulation”.
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“If we don’t provide structure or interest or even self-love to our day, time stretches painfully and we feel defeated, lethargic or even depressed,” she tells HuffPost UK. “And the less we do, the more defeated we become.”
tatyana_tomsickova via Getty Images
Chronic stress, even at a low level, can also be very emotionally draining and therefore tiring, adds Dr Roger Henderson, GP and UK medical director of Liva Healthcare. The ongoing Covid-19 situation is undoubtably a stressful one.
“The raised levels of anxiety-linked hormones such as adrenaline in the body can – although potentially helpful in acute short-lived stress – impact on the body to lower energy levels and cause both physical and mental fatigue,” he says.
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The physical impacts of leading a largely sedentary lifestyle can also make us feel drowsy, Dr Henderson adds.
“It may seem counterintuitive but the less we exercise, the more tired we may feel,” he says. “Prolonged inactivity, even in fit people, can make us tired and unmotivated, and change our muscle functioning and bulk, as well as our tolerance to activity. The term ‘use it or lose it’ easily applies here.”
Exercise “positively alters our biochemical and hormonal balance”, Dr Henderson explains, effectively “burning off” some of our anxiety-inducing hormones. It’s because of this that we feel more stressed – and more drained – without it.
nicomenijes via Getty Images
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Despite having more time to lie in bed morning and evening, the Covid-19 pandemic might also be impacting your sleep, leaving you more tired during the day. Stress impacts on “both the amount of sleep we achieve and its quality”, according to sleep specialist Dr Michelle Miller, from Warwick University.
“Lack of sufficient sleep affects emotional regulation, inhibition, control and judgement,” Dr Miler previously told HuffPost UK. “It is associated with low mood, irritability and the inability to concentrate on performing tasks.”
So, how can you feel more energised? Getting the basics of good sleep right is the place to start. These include detoxing from the news cycle and social media before bed, creating a relaxing sleep environment and trying to stick to a regular bedtime and wake time.
Dr Mark Perara, a GP at Babylon, recommends using the ‘PIES’ model during your day – which means planning activities to stimulate you physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially. He gave us these ideas:
Physical – doing brief exercise, even if it’s just indoor jogging on the spot.
Intellectual – learning a new language on an app, for example.
Emotional – communicating remotely and showing your loved ones appreciation for being alive and well.
Social – having regular phone or video contact with wider social circles, which will serve to hold communities together, as well as individuals.
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Beresford adds that your new routine should include a balance of ‘work’, play and fun. “So it could be clean the bathroom/listen to podcast/have long bath, or write that presentation/do yoga/experiment with recipes,” she says.
Helping other people is also a surefire way to shake off general fatigue. “Reach out either to friends and family, or sign up to NHS Volunteer and become a phone buddy for an isolated or lonely person,” Beresford says.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-04--Scrapping Gender Pay Gap Reporting Once Again Reveals The Government’s True Colours

There is no expectation for companies to report their gender pay gap figures this year as the government tackles Covid-19. AFP via Getty Images
During the pandemic, many anniversaries and life milestones have been lost. Among them was Equal Pay day on 31 March.
And in another parallel world, 4 April would have been the deadline for companies with over 250 employees to report their annual gender pay gap figures.
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But with companies being granted ‘breathing space’ by the government to tackle Covid-19, there will be no expectation for companies to report this year.
Some companies will still do it or have done it — for example, Verizon Media, the parent company of Huffington Post. But others won’t. The government called off obligatory reporting this year on 24th March, and only around a quarter of firms had already submitted their data. So what would the feet-draggers’ incentive be now?
Data shows that companies are only transparent, by and large, when they are forced to be. The UK claims to have among the highest numbers of companies who report their gender pay gaps — then again, the UK is one of the only countries in the world to make companies publish that information. France has the world’s highest percentage of women on boards (44%) thanks to a 40% quota. Regulation works.
Five years ago, the proposal for pay gap reporting was merely percolating in the mind of former Minister for Women and Equalities Jo Swinson. Now her successor, Liz Truss, who pursues deregulation with religious zeal, seems to want to smash it to bits.
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“We recognise that employers across the country are facing unprecedented uncertainty and pressure at this time,” she said in a joint statement with Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Chair David Isaac. “Because of this we feel it is only right to suspend enforcement of gender pay gap reporting this year.”
So, what is the great burden on companies that the government wants to avoid?
The EHRC online portal asks for 14 data points, including the mean and median gender pay gap in hourly pay, and the bonus gender pay gap.
It’s the kind of information companies would be tracking anyway as 2020 marks the third year of the legislation. It only takes a few minutes to plug the numbers into the government portal.
It seems that removing the obligation to report just over a week before the deadline is more a question of re-prioritising and, dare I suggest it, advancing a certain agenda, rather than scrapping a relatively simple exercise for any company’s HR department.
Dropping the obligation to report also reinforces the view that gender equality is last on a long list of priorities. Don’t even get me started on the fact that women’s work is fundamentally undervalued — just look at wages in nursing, teaching, pre-school education, cleaning, cashiers and retail workers. The allowance for carers, often a 24/7 job, is £66.15 a week.
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“It seems that removing the obligation to report just over a week before the deadline is more a question of re-prioritising and, dare I suggest it, advancing a certain agenda, rather than scrapping a relatively simple exercise for any company’s HR department.”
Against that backdrop, the biggest effort the UK has made in recent years to reinforce the importance of equal pay — gender pay gap reporting — has now been thrown out the window.
Perhaps the rather dire financial straits of the EHRC are relevant here? Even before Boris Johnson had to go into self-isolation, the equalities body was underfunded: its budget has been slashed by two thirds since 2010. As a result, the EHRC had as many sharp teeth as a 17-year-old cat on a diet of meat paste to punish companies that filed after the deadline or submitted inaccurate or misleading data.
Very few companies have a strategy to close their pay gap. Some chuck money at the problem, hoping the gap will disappear, if only for a short while. Campaigners have long talked about turning data into action, but now we don’t even have the data.
The absence of pay gap reporting might seem like a tiny blip compared to the bigger consequences of a global pandemic. “Furloughed” was not a word in most people’s vocabularies a few weeks ago. We have dashed hopes, and dreams, and paycheques. If we are lucky, the pandemic will only have stolen a year from our lives, but we will spend far longer making up for it, clawing back what we had already fought for and won.
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Companies and governments touted 2020 as a year of great progress in the realm of gender equality. The cynics thought that it would be no more than a nice, round number. What we’ve ended up with is much worse, and we will all pay for this in the long term.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-04--I Let My 8-Year-Old Dress Me For A Week In Lockdown – What Could Go Wrong?

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Self-isolation fashion is something else, isn’t it? For some, working from home means going ‘smart-casual’ – shirt and tie on top, underwear on the bottom, for those all-important, waist-up conference calls.
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For others, particularly those who aren’t at risk of being caught out on Zoom, pyjamas have become entirely valid day-wear, so you don’t have to change clothes when you go to bed. Excellent.
But, if you’ve seen the Twitter hashtags #dontrushchallenge and #stayathomechallenge, you’ll see self-isolation is giving some the chance to let their inner fashionista run wild – basically, as Sony Music recently tweeted: it’s isolation, but make it fashion.
With that in mind, I decided to let my eight-year-old daughter become my personal stylist, for an entire week. Whatever she chose, I had to wear all day... including any rare trips outside.
It’s an experiment I tried once when she was three, and I was curious to see how her tastes might have changed in the intervening years. Turns out, not a lot. She still loves a sequin. And polkadots. And bright, bright colours.
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Here’s how it went.
Monday: 1970s chic
Victoria Richards Monday
Monday starts fairly tamely. I tweet about my little girl’s first choice for the week – a dress from the 1970s, teamed with bright coral lipstick – and nobody guesses it has been chosen by a child (note: what does this say about my usual wardrobe choices?). Vintage sunglasses are added, to round off the outfit. I’m pretty impressed by her opening fashion selection – I might even wear this to work in future. Win.
Tuesday: Lime green galore
Victoria Richards Tuesday
I knew Monday was a fluke. Come Tuesday, it’s ‘no-holds-barred’ lime green satin – with matching nu-rave neon sunglasses, of course. My daughter tops it off by suggesting I wear a dark purple lip... and slip-on Vans. This is the outfit I wear on my daily walk through the park, and my weekly shopping trip. We’re all weirdos, now.
Wednesday: Polka dotty
Victoria Richards Wednesday
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“You look like you’re working behind the bar in the pub in EastEnders,” a friend says when I send her a picture of my outfit. She’s right – there are polkadots, so many polkadots. Today, my daughter chooses a dress I last wore at a hen party, 10 years ago, before I had two children. It’s a bit of a tight squeeze, to say the least. She teams it with a contrasting green 80s polkadot jacket that Madonna would be proud of, brown ankle boots and bright red lipstick. Now... last orders. Who wants a pint?
Thursday: Leopard print feast
Victoria Richards Thursday
Wow. Just... wow. Thursday dawns, bringing with it a veritable feast of leopard print. The really special thing about this outfit is that it does not match. At all. There’s a pair of leggings in one type of animal print, teamed with a dress in a different type of leopard, underneath a vintage blue palm-print skirt that’s also slightly too tight for me, and grey leather cowboy boots with a skull motif. This week is not going to be a comfortable one – difficult when you consider I’m spending much more time on the sofa than usual. And I’m not getting away from that EastEnders reference, am I?
Friday: Tulle lovin’
Victoria Richards Friday
“Why don’t we dye your hair a CRAZY COLOUR?” my small stylist suggests. I think it over for a moment, then find myself nodding. After all, we’re in quarantine, now. Anything goes. Even purple hair, a giant pink tulle skirt and a t-shirt with three wolves on it, howling at the moon. “You look like a princess!” my three-year-old son later tells me. Win. 10/10 for weirdness.
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Saturday: Glitz and glam
Victoria Richards Saturday
“I chose something special, because it’s Saturday,” my daughter beams. Oh, good. I know what it’s going to be before she even presents it to me: the gold, sequinned, fishtail dress I bought for £2 in a charity shop and have (unsurprisingly) never worn. “Hey Google,” my daughter adds as I get dressed, “play ‘late night jazz’.” I find myself smiling – even as I’m ordered to put on an acid-wash denim waistcoat. She knows me so well. The Amazon delivery driver who I wave to from the front porch does a double take, then shrugs and waves back as he gets in his van. It’s quarantine. He’s seen it all.
Sunday: Bold ball-gown
Victoria Richards Sunday
“I love this dress,” she says, handing me my outfit for Sunday: a bright red, floor-length ball-gown. “It’s just really, how do I say this... beautiful. Especially on you. With your hair.” Awwww. How could I resist? Even if I do remind myself of Madam Mim from the classic 1963 Disney film, The Sword in the Stone. And let’s not forget, a dress with pockets is a dress for life – even when ‘life’ means staying at home and watching Netflix for the next however many months. If you can’t wear a red dress, with purple hair, during a period of unprecedented national confinement, when can you?
Monday (again): Floral mash-up
Victoria Richards Monday (again)
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To round off the week – and bring us back to where we started – my tiny team (by now, the three-year-old was involved, too) go full Gok Wan. The temperature has dropped, but that doesn’t stop them carefully selecting a floral beach sarong two-piece skirt and crop-top, the likes of which my post-baby body hasn’t seen in years. They also choose sunglasses and a blue leopard-print hair tie, to round off this very special combination. As an afterthought, my daughter grabs me a coat. “This one,” she says, brandishing – yes, you guessed it – more leopard print.