thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--Self-Isolating In A Multi-Generational Household, I Feel Trapped – And Very Lucky

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When I got married and moved in with my husband and his family, my friends and colleagues were a little apprehensive. Surely there’ll be loads of arguments? How will you have any privacy?
But, coming from a traditional Muslim household, I was unfazed. I had grown up living with grandparents, uncles and aunties – to me, this was the norm.
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Living with in-laws, spanning three generations, meant my kids always had cousins to play with, I had an abundance of babysitters, and we never felt bored or lonely. Or, at least that’s how I felt until Boris announced a nationwide lockdown. Only then did I suddenly become acutely aware of my personal space – of lack thereof.
So, what’s it like self-isolating in a house of three generations?
Weeks into quarantine and the living room is now a communal area, where people and children gather to eat, play, fight, make TikTok videos and – if we can hear over all the screaming – attempt to watch the news. This very means that, much to my dismay ‘Netflix and chill’ is not an option.
Even my beloved bedroom is no longer a safe haven because my husband, who’s been furloughed, has parked himself onto the bed for the foreseeable future, unsure what to do with his new found free time after working six days a week for the last ten years.
“Most days I find myself hiding in the loo to conduct important meetings.”
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Working from home is also not as glamorous as LinkedIn had me believe either. Conference calls are near impossible when there are so many people living under one roof, meaning most days I find myself hiding in the loo to conduct important meetings.
Winding down in the evening means fighting for the last seat on the sofa and trying to pick something suitable to watch for all ages and languages (there is no such thing, can someone please make one?)
Then there are the WhatsApp conspiracies that circulate the household faster than coronavirus itself. One such theory told us not to open the windows or doors at night as helicopters would be flying above to spray disinfectant over the entire UK.
And it’s not just me. Several friends living with extended family messaged me furiously approximately three hours into lockdown to moan about their mother-in-law hogging the remote, or to complain about their husband’s inability to wash up after themselves.
Before the lockdown, a demanding full-time job and two young children kept me busy, which meant I was hardly at home – and when I was, my time would be spent running around after the kids. Weekends were more relaxed because I had a surplus of babysitters if I ever needed to pop out or see friends. But now, with no office to escape to, or coffee shop open, I’m left feeling increasingly trapped.
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But with the threat of coronavirus only growing by the day, I find myself constantly worrying more about the safety of our family. This fear is amplified even more so by recent reports suggesting Muslim households are particularly vulnerable to coronavirus. It’s a solid theory if you consider that many Muslim homes, like ours, consist of extended families, and elderly relatives seldom live alone.
“We belong to a culture where the concept of self-isolation is in direct conflict with our beliefs and values. My mother in law has found turning away visitors difficult.”
Then there’s the risk of transmission that comes from living in a multi-generational household. I’m not great at maths but more people usually equals more chances of infection.
Luckily all members of our household have taken the quarantine seriously, only stepping out for essentials, but I’ve heard of relatives living with in-laws who have family coming and going as they please or ‘popping in’ for a cup of tea.
The problem is that we belong to a culture where the concept of self-isolation is in direct conflict with our beliefs and values. For instance, my mother in law, who takes great pleasure in hosting impromptu family gatherings of twenty-plus people, has found turning away visitors difficult. Being the perfect hostess is something that’s been ingrained into her through a culture of hospitality that could rival The Ritz. I’m not even exaggerating: my husband once invited a friend over for lunch and she insisted on serving him at least eight different dishes.
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Despite the challenges of self-isolating with a family of three generations, it’s of course not all bad. I haven’t yet felt the absence of eating out because there’s always a steady supply of delicious home-cooked meals in the kitchen (see above). My kids don’t miss nursery or their friends because they get so much attention at home from grandparents, uncles and aunts. And my mother-in-law can finally take a break from playing hostess to focus on her health and wellbeing.
At a time when Brits are more isolated and lonely than ever before, I count myself as one of the lucky few who has a large support system around me. I just need a bigger loo, with decent wifi coverage.
Sami Rahman is a freelance writer and communications specialist. Follow her on Twitter at @bysamirahman
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--2020-05-16--I Study Human Touch. I'm Questioning What Our Future Will Be Like After Covid-19

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In the early 1980s, a porn film called Cafe Flesh was released. It was weird and artsy, with great lighting, funky costumes and sharp dialogue. The producers had ended up making it as a porno because that was the only way they could get funding for it.
The premise was simple: after World War 3 destroys most of civilisation, people are so heartbroken that touching another person makes them physically ill. Only 10% of the population can still have sex, and the other 90% goes to clubs like Cafe Flesh to watch them. The patrons’ longing and envy are palpable as they recall their memories of engaging in carnal pleasures.
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Bet the producers had no idea that their avant-garde fuck film would become a documentary in the year 2020.
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, city officials in Austin, Texas, has left parks open so folks can exercise, and I walk daily by the river. Sometimes I see couples walking hand in hand. I’m sure the look on my face echoes the looks of Cafe Flesh patrons committed to celluloid 40 years ago. Will I spend the next few months or even years envying those who can still hold hands?
***
The story of human touch is the story of humanity.
For the past seven years, I’ve been researching this small aspect of our shared existence as it meanders through biology, neurology, culture, religion, gender, economics, child development, sexuality, health, anthropology, communication and sociology. I’ve written a book that teaches single people how to get their touch needs met, been running a hands-on nurturing human touch business, and speaking about solving loneliness with human touch.
2020 was shaping up to be an excellent year: I was pitching a TEDx talk on the future of human touch and planning another book. I also had been chatting with two different organisations about providing hands-on work for their clients.
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Covid-19 was a plot twist I never saw coming. Billions of mundane physical interactions became potentially deadly – and off-limits – within weeks. As humanity struggles to cope with uncertainty, fear and trauma, one of the best tools for comfort and connection has disappeared for the single and physically isolated when we need it most.
In addition to our overarching narrative, each of us has our own personal touch story. Part of mine has been full of frustration and loneliness after ending a relationship three years ago. Before physical distancing, I was getting my touch needs met through a patchwork of humans and relationships. What follows are a few chapters from my life as I adjust to not having the pleasure and healing of human touch.
***
My friend Barbara is a bona fide hermit. She lives in a decrepit yurt at the top of a steep hill in Northern California. While someone else also lives on the property, they rarely interact. She can go days without talking to or seeing another person.
When I see Barbara, I load her up with hugs and cuddles, though it takes her time to reacclimate herself to touch. The last time I visited, she was struggling: It was the anniversary of her daughter’s death, and one of her dearest friends had recently committed suicide.
At bedtime, we crawl under a pile of blankets, spooning in the dark. I feel her 95-pound, 72-year-old body behind mine, her left arm around my waist. I drift off to sleep with the sound of the rain and our synchronised breath as my soundtrack.
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When we talked on the phone last week, she told me, again, how the memories of our hugs sustain her when she’s feeling lonely. I thought I understood before, but now I grok it.
***
Every morning when I start work, my cat, Stormy, muscles her way onto my lap, displacing my laptop. I take her out of my lap and place her next to me on the couch as she protests loudly. Sometimes she stays put, but usually she crawls back, my laptop relocated off to one side on a pillow, arms stretched over at weird, un-ergonomic angles. She insists on laying on me, consent be damned.
Stormy is a sweetheart, loving and co-dependent. She’s the most doglike cat I’ve ever owned. But if I were to ask her to give me a hug, she’d look at me with her slightly crossed eyes when I said her name, and go back to licking her paw.
***
I will always remember the last person I touched before we began quarantine. Our city had not yet gone into lockdown, and we were hanging out for the second time that week. Both times, he greeted me with a long, warm hug. Social distancing was something other people in faraway countries were doing. We thought we were okay, as both of us lived alone and were in decent health.
The night before, I pondered propositioning him. My body craved sex and the skin-to-skin contact I hadn’t had in 2+ years of celibacy. My heart was a bit more reticent after a recent romantic disappointment. Rounding out the “Very Bad Idea” column was my disillusionment with hookup sex, and this man’s lack of attraction toward me. Cuddling seemed like an excellent compromise. When he arrived, I proposed that we snuggle, and he accepted.
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He put his arms on the top of the couch, and I nestled my neck under his left armpit, throwing my arm over his chest and putting my head on his heart. He pulled his left arm around my shoulders, and stroked my upper arm. My breathing slowed as I relaxed into his embrace. It felt good to be held, albeit strange to be held by this person. It felt even better to replace the physical imprint of the last person who had held me on that couch.
I got nervous, drank too much and began nodding off. He disentangled himself from me and said goodbye. I crawled into bed after he left and woke up in the early evening with a hangover.
If I had a do-over, I would have foregone the booze so I could create a vivid memory – chatting and cuddling long into the evening. I wish I could recall what he smelled like and if his hands were rough or smooth. And I wonder, if we get a break from lockdown between waves of infection, will I seek out a pandemic fuck buddy? Or will I ask a friend to be my pandemic cuddle buddy? Both options feel risky.
***
A friend asks what we might have done had we known that lockdown was imminent. I would have gone to visit my mother. I’m fortunate that she’s in good health and had been physically isolated for the month of February due to minor foot surgery, but I miss her and have no idea when I’ll be able to see or touch her again.
My mother hasn’t seen her granddaughter in almost two months. She is missing the touch of the munchkin throwing her rapidly-growing body into Nana’s arms. My mother and I are also physically close, and when we’re together we play word games on a tablet, me leaning into her side on the couch. Her body and mine were once one, and that bond has lasted.
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I’m hopeful that my mother will remain healthy, and I won’t have to give a eulogy over video. I can only imagine going through her death on the other side of the country, grieving as my shocked body is tossed about in an ocean of pain, never reaching the safe harbor of another person’s embrace.
***
My female ancestors would have seen living alone as a decadent luxury. For generation after generation, they lived in small spaces filled with human bodies. Their arms encircled their siblings, their children, their nieces and nephews, and finally, their grandchildren. Family was ever-present and privacy was a foreign concept. During the cold Austrian winters, they crammed into single beds to keep from freezing to death. Some days, when I’m feeling particularly lonely, I imagine myself lying on a rug in front of a fire, surrounded by short, squat women who embrace me, stroke my forehead and tell me I’m not alone.
***
I have been sleeping surprisingly well the past couple of weeks, easing into slumber while counting my privileged sheep: home, job, health, spiritual foundation, friends and family. Thursday around 5 a.m. I wake up screaming, startled out of sleep by a bad dream I can’t remember. I gently stroke my neck, coaxing my nervous system back to calmness until I doze off again.
My social media feed is filled with “I need a hug!” posts from frightened folks. One friend who has been sick for a month is unable to sleep in the same bed as her husband of 22 years. Another friend tells me about his friend who lives alone and is feeling traumatised and touch-deprived, and struggles with eating or sleeping.
I could use a hug, as well. Hell, I could use several of them.
I meet up with friends for masked, physically distanced walks. We stopped doing elbow bumps weeks back, as that violates the 6’ rule. It feels like a hiccup in our relationships.
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***
My AC system breaks and the same workman comes three times. As we are settling up, he spots my bracelet with C43 H66 N12 O12 S2, the chemical name for oxytocin (the bonding hormone that mammals produce via touch, aka my favourite legal intoxicant), and asks me what it says. He reaches out his hand to point to it at the same time I’m raising my arm to give him a better look at it, and his fingers graze the back of my hand. I’m startled by the contact and jump back.
***
I spend a lot of time thinking about this chapter in my story of touch. I wonder what toll my solitary confinement will have on my body and psyche. Will I develop eczema, hives, psoriasis or rosacea as my skin registers its displeasure? Will my ears inch up toward my shoulders as my stress levels increase?
When a friend calls me, sobbing and saying she needs a hug, will I mouth platitudes instead of driving across town to wrap my arms around her? Will I be able to keep this up for the next few months or even years, or will I find myself in situations where two lonely people do a quick mental contact trace, trying to balance the danger of infection against the human instinct to draw each other close?
Will I be too scared to touch another person again, knowing that it might mean illness or death? Will I write the sequel to ”Cafe Flesh” every day, looking longingly at those who were (un)lucky enough to shelter in place with others?
***
Covid-19 has turned human touch into a villain, but it’s not a one-dimensional character with a predictable story arc. After years of research, I know that it’s always had ― and has ― the power to harm or heal. And I know that when we want it but don’t have it, its absence can make us feel more isolated and less human.
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In the meantime, we can practice self-soothing touch on ourselves, move and feed our bodies in gentle, loving ways, and make it a priority to connect to other hearts, minds and spirits. It’s obviously not an adequate substitute for physical contact, but hey, it’s something ― and the alternative is grim.
People have recommended that we use The Great Pause to rethink how we live. I know, personally and professionally, that our current paradigm of equating touch with sex isn’t working for plenty of people, single and partnered alike.
We would be happier and healthier if we recognized human touch as an integral part of wellness and re-evaluated who, when, how and why we touch. If we are able to make this shift, perhaps fewer of us will suffer alone the next time a pandemic hits.
We have always needed human touch to survive. During the coming months or years, our survival depends on avoiding it, but what will we do when we can again touch friends, family, clients and coworkers? That story has yet to be written.
Epiphany Jordan is founder of Karuna Sessions and the author of Somebody Hold Me: The Single Person’s Guide to Nurturing Human Touch. This article first appeared on HuffPost Personal.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--Eurovision: This Is What The Song Contest Looked Like 20 Years Ago

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As you’re probably well aware by now, this year’s Eurovision Song Contest – which had been scheduled to take place on 16 May – will no longer be going ahead due to the coronavirus crisis.
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Fortunately, there’s been plenty to give fans their usual annual dose of joy, unity and nostalgia that the contest delivers each year.
And for the nostalgia side of things, allow us to take you back in time 20 years, to what was an extremely eventful Eurovision in the year 2000...
The first Eurovision of the new millennium took place in Stockholm, following Charlotte Perrelli’s win a year earlier (still a staple of certain gay bars around the United Kingdom)
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Her winning track Take Me To Your Heaven is a tune, yes, but check out her 2008 entry Hero for a real Euro-banger.
Four years before the current “heart” logo was introduced, each host country had their own motif, which would displayed throughout the contest. Sweden’s was decidedly Kylie Minogue-esque
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The flag of each competitor was projected into the middle of a version of the mouth seen on stage during the performances. This design was pitched as a permanent Eurovision logo, before the EBU settled on the heart emblem that has been in place since 2004.
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The early favourite was Ines, representing Estonia with her song Once In A Lifetime
Although it didn’t make the top three, Once In A Lifetime did give Estonia its highest ever placing at Eurovision at that time. However, Ines later admitted that she was met with a lukewarm response when she returned to her own country, having not reached the heights expected of her in the weeks leading up to it.
Nicki French represented the UK with Don’t Play That Song Again
The singer – who previously enjoyed chart success with her dance remix of Total Eclipse Of The Heart – remains a Eurovision favourite (and Pride staple), particularly here in the UK.
The UK had quite the drop down the leaderboard compared to 1999
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Despite finishing in second place a year earlier, 2000 marked our lowest ever showing at that time… but of course, there was worse to come for the UK at Eurovision in the 20 years that followed.
Ireland went for a rather on-the-nose approach with their entry, Millennium Of Love
Still, it didn’t do all that badly at all, finishing in sixth place overall. According to the song’s Wikipedia page: “It was a song before its time as today everyone is talking about the importance of carbon footprints.” So there you have it.
What happens if you cross Ali G and Elvis Presley?
Eurovision Jonas Ekstromer/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Germany’s entry, apparently. Meet Stefan Raabe, who is not afraid of a bit of a bit of gold fabric, or a platform boot.
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And while Sweden are known these days for sending clever pop rather than gimmick-led acts to Eurovision, there’s always exceptions, aren’t there?
Honestly, we’re not sure what’s going on here... but we definitely don’t hate it.
It wasn’t a great year for Belgium, who came bottom of the pile with just two points
Belgium don’t actually have the best of luck when it comes to Eurovision. They’ve won just once in 61 years of competing, failing to reach the final for five consecutive years in the mid-2000s.
Israel’s performance was quite a controversial one, with PingPong waving the flags of Israel and Syria in a call for peace
EBU
A similar protest came when Eurovision arrived in Tel Aviv last year, and Icelandic entry Hatari were seen waving scarves with a pro-Palestine message.
PingPong’s performance also briefly featured two male dancers kissing
Lativa’s entrant was... enthusiastic, to say the least
They say don’t play to the camera, but apparently Brainstorm – who finished in a respectable third place – didn’t get the memo.
It did look at one point like Russia might bag the win on the night
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As has come to be expected from Russia, they pulled out all the stops, this time with Alsou’s song Solo.
But as soon as the points began rolling in, it was obvious that it was going to be Denmark’s win
Martyn Goodacre via Getty Images
Despite sounding nowadays like it was recorded in the 1970s, Fly On The Wings Of Love brought the Olsen Brothers Denmark’s second Eurovision win ever.
The song itself would later be reworked into this slightly appalling dance remix
Later in 2000, this version surpassed the original in terms of chart success, peaking at number seven in the UK.
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The Olsen Brothers also broke the record for the oldest Eurovision winner in history, at 50 years old
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It was a short-lived record, though, and the following year it would be beaten by Estonia’s Dave Benton, older by just 40 days.
Their win was a controversial one, because of the use of a vocoder, which some suggested was cheating
Peter Bischoff via Getty Images
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Well, by “some” we mean “the Russian entry” (y’know, the one that finished in second place), though their complaint was eventually disregarded by Eurovision bosses.
Imagine if they’d been there for Madonna’s performance last year is all we can say...


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--Loved Tiger King? Then Try These Under-The-Radar Netflix Documentaries Next

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In the past few months, Netflix released Tiger King and “he Last Dance, which became such cultural phenomena that they inspired Saturday Night Live parodies.
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(If you somehow missed them, Tiger King follows Joe Exotic, the now-incarcerated Oklahoma roadside attraction owner; The Last Dance focuses on Michael Jordan’s last season with the Chicago Bulls.)
Of late, other Netflix docs such as the Michelle Obama-centric Becoming and the star-studded Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics have also earned spots on the streaming service’s new ranking of the most popular shows and films.
Netflix pushed these splashy projects hard, so you’d be forgiven for missing these other stellar documentaries that have debuted in recent weeks...
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Premise: A lesbian couple hides their love for nearly seven decades. The couple met in 1947 at a hockey rink in Canada. One of the women got a job playing baseball in Chicago, and they both moved to that city. They cohabited, telling parents it was to save on rent.
The two kept their relationship a secret from their families until 2009. The two women are the director’s great aunts.
Ryan Murphy produced the movie, along with Blumhouse Productions.
Setting: Canada and Chicago, spanning decades
Debut date: April 29
Runtime: 1 hour, 21 minutes
Premise: Artists Estevan Oriol and Mister Cartoon team up in the early 1990s and become fixtures in the Los Angeles hip-hop scene. Cartoon tattooed artists, while Oriol photographed and filmed them. The duo partnered with artists such as Eminem, Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent, providing tattoos and photography.
Their story exemplifies the rise of Chicano street art culture in the city.
Oriol also directed the movie.
Setting: Los Angeles, with the subject matter focusing on the 1980s and 1990s
Debut date: April 10
Runtime: 1 hour, 32 minutes
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Premise: A straight couple with kids owned Circus of Books, a prominent gay porn store and cruising spot throughout the 1980s in Los Angeles. The two tried to keep their day jobs secret from their kids and religious community.
As the AIDS epidemic took hold of the country, the owners provided support for the gay community.
Rachel Mason, the daughter of the owners, wrote and directed the documentary.
Setting: Los Angeles, focusing on the 1980s
Debut date: April 22
Runtime: 1 hour, 32 minutes
Premise: Argentine racer Juan Manuel Fangio was one of the early Formula One racers and the sport’s first dominant competitor.
Fangio won 24 out of 42 races and five championships throughout the 1950s. He’s arguably the best Formula One driver of all time.
The documentary focuses on Fangio but also tells the story of the sport’s early days.
Setting: Global races in the 1950s and the aftermath of Juan Manuel Fangio’s success
Debut date: March 20
Runtime: 1 hour, 32 minutes
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Premise: Camp Jened was a summer camp in the Catskills of New York that catered to young people with disabilities. This documentary focuses on the 1970s, when the community helped lead the disability rights movement.
Both campers and counselors became involved in the movement that ultimately led to the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990.
Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions produced the movie.
Setting: 1970s summer camp in New York and elsewhere in the country
Debut date: March 25


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--How To Wear Face Masks Without Fogging Up Your Glasses

This method likely won’t last all day, but it should be good for a few hours before you rewash your lenses with soap and water.
This trick is similar to one that swimmers use to keep their goggles from fogging up. You could also purchase a commercial anti-fog chemical to spray on your lenses. But soap is a lot more accessible.
2. Fold down the top portion of your mask.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department suggests that if the top of your mask fits loosely, simply fold down the top fourth of the mask before wearing it. This doesn’t apply to masks with a metal nose piece, but it creates extra space for your breath to escape out of your mask before it comes into contact with your glasses.
The only downside is that this method reduces the size of your mask. The edges of a face mask should always fit snugly and cover all of your nose and mouth, so if folding the mask inhibits your safety, try another method. This method (and the next) is demonstrated in the first 30 seconds of this Japanese video from C Channel on YouTube.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--We Asked A Scientist Why Coronavirus Transmission Is So Much Lower In London Than Other Parts Of Eng

We Asked A Scientist Why Coronavirus Transmission Is So Much Lower In London Than Other Parts Of England

At the start of 2020, most of us had never even heard of epidemiology before.
Now, the coronavirus pandemic means terms like “current R”, “flattening the curve” and “antibody testing” are bandied around in the media like we have been using them all our lives.
Even if all of this has all gone over your head, you probably heard an unlikely-sounding piece of news this week.
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According to modelling by Public Health England (PHE) and Cambridge University, there are currently more than 4,000 daily Covid-19 infections in the north-east of England and Yorkshire – compared to fewer than 24 in London.
So, what’s going on with coronavirus transmission in the UK? Here’s what you need to know.
What did the modelling show?
The modelling – based on PHE data from May 10 – showed there were 11,400 daily Covid-19 infections in England.
However, these were not spread evenly across the country.
While there were estimated to be 4,320 daily infections in the north east and Yorkshire – the highest in the country – and 2,380 in the north west, there were just 23.9 in London.
There were also big regional differences in the “current R”. The capital had the lowest figure in England at 0.4, while the north-east and Yorkshire had the highest at 0.8.
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The average for England was 0.75.
OK, but what do scientists mean by the ‘current R’?
A test sample is held at a Covid-19 testing centre at Glasgow Airport PA
The R value is the current reproduction rate of the coronavirus – i.e. how many people each person infected with Covid-19 will transmit the virus to.
If the current R is above 1.0, it means that, on average, each person with coronavirus will infect more than one person and the pandemic will continue to grow.
If the R value is below one, it means that each person ill with coronavirus will infect less than one person.
Before the lockdown was introduced, it is estimated that the R number in the UK was between 2.0 and 3.0.
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The government wants to keep the R number below 1.0 to prevent the NHS becoming overwhelmed by coronavirus. On Friday, the government’s scientific advisers also said that the R number was between 0.7 and 1.0.
As the R was below 1.0 across England at the time the Cambridge University data was modelled, the number of Covid-19 cases was shown to be falling in all regions of the country.
But the model revealed that while the number of new infections was halving roughly every 3.5 days in the capital, this was happening much more slowly in the north east and Yorkshire – around every 14 days.
So, why is Covid-19 transmission so much lower in London?
Good question. According to Andy Jones, a professor in public health at the University of East Anglia and a member of the university’s epidemiology research group, there are a number of things that could be behind this.
“London was much worse hit in the early stages of the epidemic,” Jones said. “So you would expect for a number of reasons that places that were hardest hit early on will recover the quickest.
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“One of the reasons is that the more people you have had infected, the less likely new people are to be infected.
“You hear about herd immunity – you basically get to a point where so many people have been infected that the chance of the virus getting transmitted gets very low.
“You need a certain number of the population to be infected to get to herd immunity,” Jones said – a number London has not come close to reaching.
“But even below that, the more people who have developed immunity because they have already had the virus, the less likely someone who is newly infected is to pass it on.
“These models suggest that 20% of the population in London has already been infected. That would be one reason to suggest why the rate of transmission in the capital is so much lower than other areas of the country.”
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Another reason there has been a steeper decline in Covid-19 infections compared to the rest of the country is because London is a “fantastic place for viruses to spread”, Jones said, with a high population density and lots of people cramming onto public transport.
“You would think that the lockdown would have a particularly significant effect on London, because what it has done is remove the pathways of transmission which fed into the epidemic,” he said.
“London also has lots of people working in industries where working from home is much more possible. So there has probably been a lot bigger shift to home working compared to other parts of the country. So that’s another reason why you would see a steeper decline.”
So, does that mean London could be free of coronavirus soon?
Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery in London on May 4 Marcos Casado via Getty Images
Unfortunately, no. “If we believe this modelling, we would assume that levels of immunity are higher in London,” Jones said. “Even if 20% of the population there have had the virus, it still means that 80% have not been infected.
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“So as you start removing the lockdown restrictions, the conditions that led to the coronavirus epidemic being so severe in London will just return again.
“So it would be naive to say: ‘Rates of Covid-19 are lower in London, therefore we can ease up restrictions there more.’”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--How Students Feel About Paying £9,250 For 'Virtual' University

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The end of the university year is looking rather different from what most students were expecting.
Sports tours, leavers balls and graduation ceremonies have been replaced with virtual lectures, online exams and – for many – an early departure to their parents’ homes thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Meanwhile, medical and nursing students at the end of their degrees have been thrust onto the front lines to help fight the deadly Covid-19 outbreak.
It’s an end to the academic year no one could have expected when they filled out their UCAS application.
But students looking ahead to the new semester in September are in a very different situation – they know life on campus will likely be worlds away from the experience sold in the university prospectus.
In May, Cambridge University confirmed there will be no face-to-face lectures for students for the whole of the 2020/21 academic year due to coronavirus, having moved teaching online in March.
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While other universities have yet to set out how social-distancing rules might hit student life, few believe the new semester will mark a return to packed lecture halls, crammed labs and busy campus libraries.
But the government has insisted that, even if campuses remain closed and lectures and seminars continue to be held online because of coronavirus, students in England will still be charged £9,250 in tuition fees.
Students in a lecture theatre at Cambridge University before the Covid-19 pandemic Patrick Ward via Getty Images
Universities minister Michelle Donelan said universities had been delivering courses virtually for the last few months “at an amazing quality and degree”.
Complaints processes will be in place if students feel like they’re not receiving quality teaching, she added.
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The decision by ministers, announced as part of a package of measures for the higher education sector, comes as universities brace them for a significant drop in international students – who pay much higher tuition fees – due to Covid-19.
But what do students – who will likely be paying off their university loans for decades after they graduate – think about the situation?
Will they be flocking back to university this autumn – even if it is virtually – or will they be tempted to hold off in the hopes of getting the “full” student experience the following year?
Lucas Brun wants to defer his masters at the University of Manchester Supplied.
Lucas Brun, who is due to start a master’s degree in politics at the University of Manchester in September, would like to defer his place at university to avoid all of the hurdles posed by the Covid-19 outbreak.
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Not being able to go into university and having lessons via video would feel “like a loss of value”, Lucas said.
But as an EU student, he is worried about how pushing back the start date of his degree to 2021 – after the Brexit transition period has ended – could affect him.
Under current rules, EU students are charged the same tuition fees as home students. But it has not yet been confirmed how this might change after December 31.
“We also currently have access to the master’s loan from the government, which I need to contribute to my education cost,” said Lucas, who is from France.
“And EU citizens moving to the UK before December 31 can apply for settlement and enjoy the same rights as UK citizens indefinitely. But none of these things are guaranteed for students starting in 2021.
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“If I had this guarantee, I would have already asked for a deferral so I wouldn’t have to worry about getting ill whilst travelling, and would also be able to have face-to-face lectures and seminars.”
Lucas added: “My options are to study this year – regardless of what kind of arrangements are made – or not study at all.”
Among his main concerns is how students will be able to access facilities that are key to their courses if social distancing rules are still in place.
It’s a worry shared by 21-year-old Matthew Urry, who is due to start a master’s in architecture at the University of Nottingham.
Matthew Urry – who is due to start a master's in September – says students who require access to facilities have been forgotten Supplied.
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He thinks the government has forgotten about students on courses that require hands-on, practical learning and access to specialist facilities when considering tuition fees.
“I study architecture, which requires access to materials, facilities and equipment which aren’t available at home,” he said.
“I don’t see how it’s fair that I will have to pay in full if I’m losing access to facilities which are a vital part of my course – not only for a grade, but for my career development.”
Matthew is currently working at an architecture firm in London, but has already signed up for accommodation in Nottingham for the new semester.
“If I can get out of that, I will be tempted to continue working for another year and return to my master’s when things are more normal,” he added.
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The National Union of Students (NUS) estimates that almost 40% of higher education students are signed up for courses that are “unsuitable for online learning”.
It has called for students who have already been disrupted by the coronavirus outbreak to be allowed to retake the 2019/20 academic year free of charge.
Zaynab, who studies French and Arabic, is already worried about the standard of teaching their university might be able to offer in the new academic year.
“I have had two weeks of online lessons [this year] and they were both disastrous,” they said, describing poor internet connections and much larger class sizes than usual.
“As you can imagine for a languages degree, face-to-face speaking practice is imperative and cannot be replicated online.
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“In short, paying £9,250 for an online degree of such poor quality would feel like robbery. My teachers and lecturers have been trying exceptionally hard to maintain teaching standards but it’s just not possible.”
Meanwhile, Zaynab is struggling with the campus library being closed.
“Many students don’t have access to quiet study spaces at home,” they said. “I live with four members of my family and currently don’t have access to a desk because I had to give mine to my sister, who must work from home.
“Students like me who previously relied on libraries to study are under increased pressure.”
For many students, the university experience is also about more than just getting a degree – it’s about the social side of life on campus too.
Christina Wilson is worried she will miss out on the social side of university if social distancing is still in place on campus Christina Wilson
Christina Wilson, 17, is hoping to start an undergraduate degree in computer science once the summer is over.
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“One of my worries in this situation is that I won’t be able to get the full university experience that has been sold to me because I won’t be able to physically meet the people I’m studying with or use the facilities,” she said.
Despite this, she plans to start university in September as planned – whatever the set-up.
“Personally I would prefer to start university by physically being there, but under the circumstances I would still be happy to start if the only option was having to do online classes from home because campus was closed,” Christina said.
“I think that getting my degree done as soon as I can is the most important thing. But I do still have worries that I’ll be missing out on a lot of the social aspects of university.”
Another student, who asked to remain anonymous, added: “Freshers week is part of the university experience. Students make most of their friends during this time and it’s a way to bond with new flatmates.”
Societies and sports teams would be other major elements of university life that students would miss out on if campuses remain closed.
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“The pressures of university studies can be intense, so to be part of something outside of the academic platform can not only be a relief, but can bring about life experiences – whether it be learning a new skill, making friends or making a difference.”
For Lauren Cook, who is hoping to start a PGCE course at the University of Lincoln in September, being able to interact with other students is a key part of the university experience students pay for.
Lauren Cook is happy for lectures to be online – as long as students are compensate Supplied.
“Obviously if it’s safer to be completing lectures and seminars online then I don’t mind it,” she said. “But I think some compensation should come into play.
“We pay £9,250 a year for the full university experience, in university accommodation, and having face-to-face contact with our lectures and having interactions with course mates.
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“I strongly believe that if people are not getting this, we definitely should not be charged the same amount.”
Lauren added: “I’m sure there are options to complete degrees online for much less money.
“But I didn’t choose to do that, so I believe the university and the government should consider compensating students, or subsidising tuition fees for each month that lockdown measures are going on in the future.”
The government, though, has insisted that while universities are offering quality online teaching, students are not entitled to reimbursements.
In a tweet, the universities minister wrote: “To be clear, we only expect full tuition fees to be charged if online courses are of good quality, fit for purpose and help students progress towards their qualification.
“If unis want to charge full fees, they will have to ensure that the quality is there.”
Meanwhile, ministers announced that universities could use £46m of their existing finances to boost hardship funds for students, which could be used to buy home IT equipment and pay for internet access.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--When Lockdown Lifts, Don't Expect Brits To Be Booking Holidays

Don't expect the travel industry to bounce back from this. Reuters
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After 50 days under lockdown, the UK government finally announced an easement of the restrictions that came into place in March.
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Goaded by the recent spell of pleasant weather, thoughts have invariably turned to the summer holidays.
I’m going to pop your bubble now – the British public won’t be rushing to book a holiday just yet. At least they shouldn’t if they don’t have deep pockets.
But don’t direct your vitriol at me, aim it at the rogue operators in the travel industry – because at every turn of this awful crisis, consumers have been left bearing the brunt of the costs by them.
The result? Trust in the industry is at an all-time low, at a time when everyone’s watching pennies.
The problem at the centre of it is the refund fiasco.
Millions of holidays have been cancelled since the coronavirus crisis began. The glimmer of hope in the UK was that for those who have booked a package holiday, travel firms must offer a full cash refund within 14 days of cancellation by the provider.
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And airlines that have cancelled flights must issue refunds within seven days. To be clear, these are not guidelines, these are written into law.
The financial protection afforded by the legislation was hammered home to us when Thomas Cook was on the verge of collapse. Those customers got their money back, but refunds are not forthcoming in most cases now.
Some firms, such as Trailfinders and Kuoni, are doing the right thing and offering their customers full refunds. But many are not.
A quick search on Twitter for the hashtag #holidayrefund will show you just how many people are still waiting to get their money back from trips cancelled at the very beginning of this crisis. And more are added to this list every day.
In the case of airlines, almost all are offering vouchers in the first instance. After some wrangling and many hours on the phone, the most desperate and tenacious are getting cash refunds.
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When it comes to package holidays, however, most firms are only offering “refund credit notes” ( a scheme advocated by travel trade association ABTA).
Both of these are IOUs from the travel industry, to be redeemed or cashed out at a later date, offering no financial protection under law at present.
These delay tactics are understandable given the circumstances. Right now, travel firms have zero bookings and plenty of expenses. A refund delay could offer them the breathing space they need to weather this storm. Without it, thousands of travel firms could collapse and no one wants that. I fully support them in theory, but in practice, travel firms are bending the rules to suit their needs, leaving consumer rights - and therefore trust - in the dust.
Love Holidays, for example, is issuing refund credit notes minus the cost of flights and telling customers to go chase airlines for refunds themselves. Sadly they are far from alone - there are also operators deducting costs such as taxes and fees from refunds. This is despite the fact that under current legislation, package holiday customers are owed the full sum.
ABTA, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have promised to investigate cases brought to them, but no industry-wide change is on the horizon, which just further exacerbates the problem.
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Then we have the airlines. At the beginning of this month, Wizz Air resumed its flights. On the face of it, it’s good news - but not for those whose tickets were booked before the crisis.
Because those flights are still operating, Wizz Air will pocket customers’ cash whether they show up or not. It means that people must now either use them despite border restrictions, pay a fee to change them or lose the money altogether through what’s considered a voluntary cancellation.
Given the hassle, you might well think twice about a holiday abroad, but staycations aren’t safe either.
Over Easter, holiday rental firms including Sykes Cottages and Hoseasons have been accused of withholding refunds with would-be holidaymakers told to rebook instead. Many of those customers don’t even have travel insurance to fall back on as they didn’t think they’d need it for “low-risk” domestic travel.
The evidence makes one thing clear – once travel restrictions have been lifted, holiday firms will have to climb many hurdles to get back into our good graces.
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Not only will they need to persuade people that is it safe to travel but also that it’s safe to book - that when customers are told their holidays are financially protected, it actually is. Given that nearly half of major UK insurers - whose jobs it is to asses risk - have now stopped selling travel insurance, meaning consumers won’t even have that to fall back on, the task is even greater.
For now, the battle for refunds continue. In the future? Perhaps only the most risk-loving and deep-pocked Brits will get out their wallets before this fiasco is over.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--From Printing To Pickling: 5 Useful Food Scrap Hacks To Reduce Waste

Emily Dobbs Potato Printing
During the coronavirus crisis, many of us are cherishing our food and savouring every last morsel to reduce waste and avoid unnecessary trips to the shops.
So, what can you do with the miscellaneous remnants of food from the back of the fridge? If it’s not suitable for cooking, you can give these scraps a second life by turning them into something useful.
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Here are five useful food hacks for your leftovers that’ll keep you busy.
1. Experiment with natural dye
Fruits, vegetables, and flowers have been used for centuries to alter the colour of clothing – and anyone can do it. Making homemade dyes is eco-friendly, and costs next to nothing.
“Avocado pits give off a great dusty pink to vibrant pink, onion skins are a golden tan and turmeric is anywhere from a golden to fluorescent yellow,” says set and prop designer and owner of hand-dyed clothing line Upstate, Kalen Kaminski. “Pre-quarantine, I’d ask my local Mexican restaurant to hold onto pits for me – now, I’m just eating a bunch of avocados!”
So how much do you need? “Pits I would start with around 10; onion skins I’d say the skin of four large white onions for a pot; turmeric goes a long way – I start with a tablespoon in a pot of water and test my fabric.”
Kalen Kaminski Natural tie-dye T-shirt
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Lots of fabrics are suitable to use – from cotton, linen, and silk, but each will respond to a given dye differently. “Only use 100% natural items that are cotton, linen, and silk,” explains Kaminski. “Synthetic fibres will not hold a natural dye. Try dish towels, napkins, towels, pillowcases, or a stained top.”
The binding part – getting the dye on the fabric – is when you can get creative. You wrap up the food and fabric with rubber bands, fold the fabric in a shibori fold and clamp it, or soak for a more solid effect, says Kaminski.
“Start with one thing like the avocado pits and have patience. The longer it soaks the more vibrant the colour,” she says. “It may take a few times to figure out your rhythm with dyeing. It’s like following a recipe, the first time it’s good but the more you make it, it’s easier to finesse.”
Experiment with different patterns, designs, and folds, each DIY project is unique and will come out differently.
2. Stamp it out
It’s time to reacquaint ourselves with our leftover spuds and pretend we’re back in school with a creative stamp art session. Plus, this is a simple way to keep the kids busy for hours. You’ll be rewarded with some beautiful new art to hang on the walls – or cute card designs to send to loved ones.
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“Cut a potato in half, wipe it dry and then sketch onto it,” chef and author Emily Dobbs explains. “Then cut out sections and use it like a stamp. Potatoes are good because they make a nice shape to hold in your hand and have a good surface area.”
Emily Dobbs Celery stamping
Don’t restrict yourself to using only potatoes, though. There’s a whole world of veg waiting to be stamped. “You could use any starchy vegetables such as sweet potato, celeriac, or squash,” Dobbs suggests. “I’ve printed with celery hearts and Brussel sprouts cut in half – they create a rose shape print and it’s really beautiful.”
Be inventive and have fun. Some fruits have natural juices and will produce lovely stains, so sometimes paint isn’t needed at all. “If you can’t think of a sketch, it’s very soothing to print strawberries. All you need to do is cut them in half, let the natural juice and shape do the work,” says Dobbs.
“Like cooking, I think my best sketches are when I’m really free-flowing and just enjoying the meditative process of it.”
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3. Regrow plants
A great way to minimise kitchen waste is to regrow vegetable odds and ends such as pak choi, spring onions, and celery – a bit like having your own windowsill garden.
Place a few kitchen scraps in an inch of water, let them sit in partial sunshine and you’ll start to see regrowth in a matter of days. Just be sure to change the water daily and trim off any mouldy or brown bits.
Angela Hui Regrowing vegetable scraps
“This method also works for onions, lemongrass, bulb fennel or lettuce,” says food writer, grower and founder of Otter Farm, Mark Diacono. “Afterwards, you can plant them out in a sunny spot and new growth will spring up.”
Don’t leave herbs out of the equation. “With soft herbs like coriander and basil, pick most leaves from each stem, leave a few at the top, and place in a jar filled with water to leave somewhere with good sunshine. Once propagated, pot up and grow into a plant,” says Diacono.
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“I wouldn’t recommend growing garlic or potatoes from those bought in the shops as they’re more susceptible to disease than those bought through a nursery.”
4. Stock up on stock
Stock is an obvious choice to reduce waste, and many restaurants do the same with their scraps. Whether it’s vegetable peelings, carrot tops, potato skins, onion skins, mushroom stalks or herb stems, simply pop them in a freezer bag and accumulate more to save for when you’re ready to make your stock.
Once you have enough, empty everything into a heavy-bottomed pan, season with salt and pepper, and cover with plenty of water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for a couple of hours. Voilà, it’s ready to use.
Angela Hui Food scrap stock
5. Get pickling
Instead of throwing away watermelon rinds, old grapes or cantaloupe, pickle them – and put the lesser part of the adored fruit that’s starting to go bad to good use. The juices from some of the flesh can be used as part of the pickling liquid. Add white wine vinegar, some salt, sugar and maple syrup, as shown in this recipe.
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You can pickle vegetables too, of course. Why not try pickling those onions that may otherwise go to waste? Cider vinegar, sugar, salt, seasoning and the onions themselves should do the trick. Chuck it all in a pan and bring to simmer. Then drain, pour over boiling water, and pack in a jar. It’ll keep for six months unopened, or two weeks in the fridge once opened.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--How Coronavirus Is Impacting France's Largest Nudist Camp

Régis Duvignau/CHM Montalivet
We’re here to guide you through the coronavirus lockdown. Sign up to the Life newsletter for daily tips, advice, how-tos and escapism.
On the Atlantic coast of France, north-west of Bordeaux, is Europe’s oldest and largest community of naturists, CHM Montalivet. The place is the size of a small town, with over 1000 private bungalows on site, as well as a huge campsite, cinema, gym, spa, swimming pools, a library, and a central square with bars, restaurants, a bakery, wine shop and two small supermarkets.
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It’s all set in a pine forest, with a beautiful stretch of white sand beach to the western side. CHM has a small permanent population who live there all year round, but every summer the population explodes as thousands of naturists come to meet friends and escape their day to day lives.
This year, coronavirus may make this impossible.
Abby Moss The campsite in the forest.
I discovered CHM Montalivet by chance five years ago while on a road trip through France with my partner. We spontaneously decided to give it a try and checked in for a four-day stay. New to naturism, we were nervous and not sure what to expect, but soon got chatting to fellow naturists from all over the world. Everyone was so welcoming. We realised we’d found something very special.
CHM is far more than a holiday camp. It’s a community, one with deep roots and where people have forged lifelong friendships. “We’ve been coming here for 25 years,” a retired couple from Texas told us. “Once you discover this place, you never want to leave.” And they weren’t wrong. We’ve been back every summer since.
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Régis Duvignau/CHM Montalivet CHM Montalivet
Naturism is a very sociable lifestyle with different generations co-mingling as a matter of course. There are huge communal meals every evening at CHM and the policy is always the more the merrier. Think spontaneous singalongs, card games and total strangers offering you a glass of wine. During the day, team sports and dance classes are popular and in the evenings the family-run beachside bar has live music (with more dancing), quiz nights and a silent disco.
None of this is compatible with the rules of social distancing, of course. CHM also has a number of elderly residents, including one pillar of the community, known colloquially to everyone as Frère Jacques, who has lived there since the place was founded in 1953.
Even as France relaxes its lockdown precautions and opens its borders, it will be hard for the CHM community to continue as normal.
Abby Moss As the bar sign attests, people visit CHM from all over the world.
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I reached out to some of the people we’ve met at CHM to see if they share my concerns. Pascal, 32, who lives in Brussels, also happened across the place by accident. Although his parents are naturists, Pascal explained, they never forced the lifestyle on him growing up. But when his workplace sent him to CHM to meet a new client, he immediately fell in love with the place.
“I was waiting in the town centre,” he recalls. “Somebody with dreadlocks wearing only a sarong was sitting under a pine tree playing Ashes to Ashes on acoustic guitar. It was almost mystical. I was only supposed to be there for a few hours, I ended up staying for a week.”
Naturism, and the community at CHM, is now an important part of Pascal’s life. “CHM, for me, represents a timeless place, far removed from the constraints of society. Nudity, by definition, removes social barriers. CHM is freedom and the acceptance of others.”
“Nudity, by definition, removes social barriers. CHM is freedom and the acceptance of others.”
Alex, 31, from England, visited CHM for the first-time last summer. “It feels very freeing and you feel closer to nature,” she explains. “The surroundings are beautiful, the pines and the beautiful dunes, and also it felt very family oriented and safe.”
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She hopes to go again this year but has doubts about whether this will be possible – even with France exempt from the UK’s new quarantine rules. “I haven’t booked my flights yet, I’m going to wait and see. I reckon residents there, many of whom seem to be older people, might feel more comfortable if the resort was only for residents until the crisis is a bit more under control.”
Pascal echoes this concern. “Summer 2020 will undoubtedly be different to previous summers. We may be required to wear an additional piece of clothing – a face mask. But CHM is a family place and many of the residents are very old. If CHM cannot open for health reasons, I will be very disappointed, but in the interests of everyone (especially the older people) I will understand if access is restricted or there are drastic safety measures.”
Régis Duvignau/CHM Montalivet. 'CHM is a family place,' says Pascal.
I reached out to CHM’s management to ask how they’re handling the situation. In an email, a communications officer for Tohapi, the umbrella company that manages the site, said: “This situation creates a lot of uncertainty around next season. The fate of campsites and holidays in general will not be known until the French government’s announcements which take place on May 31.”
CHM is currently closed, the spokesperson said, with only residents allowed on site – 400 are living there during quarantine – and no services provided. One of these residents is Alexis, who has been working at CHM for 10 years.
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“We will adapt, this situation stimulates creativity.” - Alexis
He lives there for six months every year to help run Gaia, the lively beachside bar and restaurant. “The choices we make over the next six months will have impacts for the next 50 years,” he says. “It is natural to wonder whether CHM will open this summer and obviously I am concerned. Fear of unemployment is one thing, but as a naturist I know I can be very happy with very little.”
While Pascal, Alex and I might have to accept the disappointing news that our naturist holiday is cancelled this summer, the community on the whole seem determined to keep going and to survive. “We will adapt,” says Alexis. “This situation stimulates creativity.”
This place and other communities like it around the world are far more than the sum of its parts, as Alexis explains. “CHM is not only a holiday camp. It encapsulates an idea that will not disappear during this time: naturism. Solidarity, respect for nature, respect for one another, these are values our community carries with them whether they are at CHM or in Paris or Berlin.”
Alex Turner Sunset on the beach.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--This Is How The Coronavirus Lockdown Is Damaging Friendships

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We’re here to guide you through the coronavirus lockdown. Sign up to the Life newsletter for daily tips, advice, how-tos and escapism.
Much has been made of what we should or shouldn’t do under lockdown. For the first 50 days, the message was clear: stay home – and don’t see anyone outside your household. Now, as part of the government’s new ‘stay alert’ guidelines, we can see one friend, from a safe distance, in a park.
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Notwithstanding the surreal nature of Boris Johnson dictating our social lives to this level of detail, it’s a welcome development.
But what state will we find our friendships in when they do resume face to face?Has the damage already been done? Judging by the social media pile-ins we’ve seen of late, the strain of lockdown has been getting to us all.
There are those who say the guidelines are straightforward and there to be followed to the letter. Others question whether it’s really that simple to curb our behaviour to such an extent that we never see the people we love, even when that’s what the government says is necessary to keep the population safe.
And if missing each other weren’t enough, these divergences of opinion have heaped new stresses on old friends. “I have lied to many of my more panicked friends regarding meet-ups,” confesses Andrew, 26, a radio communication engineer from Newcastle. “Not revealing I have been in physical contact with anyone since the lockdown began, for fear of judgment.”
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It’s felt like the bare minimum needed to stay okay, he says of his meetings. “It may be easier for introverts to enjoy this lockdown period watching movies and playing video games but as a very social person I find it extraordinarily difficult. In a time when we are supposedly more enlightened with regards to mental health issues, the lack of understanding and judgment is outrageous.”
Blue Planet Studio via Getty Images It's now possible to meet one friend – so long as you stay two metres apart.
Others who have ‘broken the rules’ tell HuffPost UK that they have also done so out of necessity. They may live alone or, like Andrew, find their mental health suffers badly when they aren’t surrounded by friends and family.
Regardless of the reasons, their fear of judgment from close friends, neighbours or strangers on social media, is pervasive – leading some people to form their own de-facto ‘bubbles’ of those who know about their social movements.
Julia, 26, a student from Glasgow, says that now that cases of coronavirus have started to fall, she has been meeting up for irregular walks – but not without a huge sense of guilt. “It was a relief to see a friendly face and be able to talk and share thoughts without using a phone or a laptop,” she says of seeing her neighbour and best friend, David. “It felt wrong but necessary at the same time.”
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David lives alone, while Julia shares with one flatmate she barely speaks to – her family are quarantining at home in Italy. “These are exceptional times when it is almost normal to feel guilty about meeting with one friend from two meters of distance every couple of weeks,” she says, adding that she’s heard of people calling the police on their neighbours for going out for a second walk in a day.
“I think that it’s taking it too far and even just hearing stories like this make me feel a bit hostile when I am among people.”
Hinterhaus Productions via Getty Images Some of us haven't hugged a friend in nearly two months.
“Many people operate on the level of thinking that they are right and the other person is in the wrong,” explains Sören Stauffer-Kruse, a relationships psychologist who runs The Counselling Practice of these tensions. “Good friendships are based on understanding we all have our own point on such issues. It is not up to us as a friend to judge the other person’s position.”
Conflict is to be expected, he says – lockdown is like “a giant magnifying glass to any relationship, including friendship”. What can help both parties is tuning into the emotions that lie behind someone’s attitude to lockdown, whether that’s anxiety, loneliness or (as is common to many of us) the need to control a situation that’s full of confusion, exhaustion and threat. “Friendships in which both sides understand that behaviour is motivated by emotional need will fare better and I would expect there to be less conflict,” says Stauffer-Kruse.
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“I’ve seen friends going to the park who claim they are social distancing but they really aren’t,” says Pip, 23, a social media worker from Enfield, who disagrees that meeting people – other than the one friend now permitted under the new government guidelines – is ever appropriate. “Just because you feel you’re not causing any harm, it is so disrespectful to the NHS workers working their bums off to get us through this. I’ve not seen my family in months and it’s awful, but I’m prepared to keep it that way till we get out of it.”
Pip believes people are breaking the rules because they are ignorant or oblivious to them or unaware of the consequences of their actions. “It’s not a judgment towards a person, thinking they are horrible or mean or anything, it’s about how aware I’ve become of people not fully understanding the rules or not believing in the rules. ‘Stay Alert’ just adds to that ignorance.”
While she lives with a partner, Pip insists she has sympathy for those who don’t. “I do completely understand that it must be incredibly tough to be fully isolated during this. I do have friends who are single and living alone who have the same opinion as me though. They are staying home and working their way through this the same as everyone else.”
As the lockdown stretches on, morphing into new shapes as the easing of measures continues, there looks to be no end to the disagreements over what constitutes morally upstanding behaviour. But when people test the new rules around socialising this weekend – and social media reacts accordingly – Stauffer-Kruse urges empathy, especially among friends.
“Try to see it from their point of view,” he stresses. “Stay away from using judgmental language and try to attune to the feeling or the emotional need that may be underlying the other person’s behaviour. Having a conversation like that can lead to a deepening of friendship, even if your positions are different.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--Momentum Founder Jon Lansman Says He Won't Stand In Group's Upcoming Elections

Jon Lansman at Labour's 2019 party conference. Leon Neal via Getty Images
Jon Lansman, the founder of left activism movement Momentum, says he will not stand in the group’s upcoming internal elections.
The ally of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told LabourList it was time to “hand over to a new leadership”.
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The group, which grew from Corbyn’s election as party leader in 2015, will vote on the membership of its national co-ordinating body next month.
Explaining why he would not be on the slate, current chair Lansman wrote: “We are now a mass of dedicated activists fighting for a better world. And in this new era, it is time that a new generation of leaders put their ideas into practice.
“That is why I have decided not to contest the forthcoming elections within Momentum and instead will hand over to a new leadership.”
Lansman said he was “enormously proud of what Momentum has achieved”.
“Thanks to our movement, Labour can never again be the party of illegal invasions, anti-immigration mugs or support for Tory policies of austerity and privatisation,” he wrote.
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“The Labour Party is now much closer to being a socialist party than simply a party with socialists in it.”
Lansman was at the centre of controversy surrounding Labour’s party conference last year, after. leading an attempt to abolish the job of then-deputy leader Tom Watson.
Watson, who announced he would step down as an MP before December’s general election, branded the Momentum chief “incompetent” and a “student politician”.
“I know that attempt to get rid of me was a bit of an embarrassing mess: Jon Lansman, the hitman that shot himself in the foot,” he added.
Lansman, who backed Rebecca Long-Bailey’s campaign to succeed Corbyn, remains a member of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee, to which he was elected in 2018.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--Gavin Williamson Says Plan To Reopen Schools Based On 'Best Scientific Advice'

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Gavin Williamson says plans to reopen schools as part of the easing of lockdown are based on “the best scientific advice”, after councils and teaching unions criticised the move.
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The education secretary told the daily Downing Street press conference on coronavirus “children are at the heart of everything we do” and said many would stand to lose out if schools remained closed for longer.
He added: “I know lots of you will be worried about sending your children to school. Every one of us wants the very best for our children and I know how stressful this time has been for families across the country.”
Williamson said the government’s plan to begin a phased return from June 1 for young primary school pupils, as well as secondary pupils in years 10 and 12, was “in line” with steps taken by other European countries.
But teaching unions, as well as some local authorities and city mayors, said ministers were moving too quickly and putting staff and students at risk.
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Some pupils are set to return to school next month. Peter Byrne - PA Images via Getty Images
Williamson said: “There is a consequence to this, the longer that schools are closed the more that children miss out.
“Teachers know that there are children out there that have not spoken or played with another child their own age for the last two months.
“They know there are children from difficult or very unhappy homes for whom school is the happiest moment in their week, and it’s also the safest place for them to be.”
Regarding testing and tracing, the cabinet minister added: “School staff can already be tested for the virus, but from the first of June we’ll extend that to cover children and their families if any of them develop symptoms.
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“Together these measures will create an inherently safer system where the risk of transmission is substantially reduced for children, their teachers and also their families.”
Williamson said a “hierarchy of controls” has been set up, including people staying at home if they have coronavirus symptoms and that there are proper hand-washing, hygiene plus cleaning systems within schools.
He said minimising contact and mixing is a “key element” of what needs to be done, adding: “That is why we have gone in this initial stage of much-reduced sizes down to a maximum of 15.
“We have looked all across Europe to see how this best works. We have seen some good examples in nations such as Denmark where it seems to have worked very well.”
He added: “We are creating a protective bubble around them, reducing the amount of mixing and making sure that those small groups stay together almost like a family within a classroom.”
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Asked why the government is not taking a regional approach to the reopening of schools, which could take account of local differences in infection rates, Williamson said it was being done in “a very, very cautious and phased way”.
He added: “If there are concerns about the R-rate, we will make sure we look at that in great detail and we will look at the rate of infection.”
Deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries PA Video - PA Images via Getty Images
Deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries, who joined Williamson at the press conference, said children are much less likely to be admitted to hospital with Covid-19, compared with older generations.
Williamson said ministers would be “carefully monitoring the impact of this first phase” of lockdown relaxation and that children would not return if the government’s “five key tests” are not met.
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And there are currently no plans to begin the next school year earlier than September to allow children to catch up.
He said: “We are looking at different initiatives that we could maybe look at rolling out during the summer period.”
But he said he will not divulge more information on those initiatives yet, as there was “a little bit more work to do on them”.
“We are working with all teaching unions right across the sector to give everyone confidence about returning to school,” the education secretary added.
Patrick Roach, general secretary of the NASUWT teachers’ union, said it was “urgently important that the government takes every available opportunity to provide the necessary assurances that teachers are seeking”.
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He added in a statement: “It should not be forgotten that teachers have continued to look after vulnerable children and children of critical workers whilst also providing high quality support for remote learning for those children who are at home.
“Schools are looking to the government for clear and unequivocal guidance on the health and safety measures they will need to have in place prior to reopening.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--Dozens Of Anti-Lockdown Campaigners Gather In London As Small Protests Take Place Across The UK

The correspondence address listed for Fransen under Freedom Movement Ltd also matches a registered office address listed by Britain First Merchandise Ltd, which cites Britain First leader Paul Golding as a director and Fransen as a resigned director.
Nineteen people were arrested and another 10 given on-the-spot fines in Hyde Park, the Metropolitan Police said.
Deputy assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor said: “With the easing of restrictions we fully expected open spaces to be busy this weekend.
“It was pleasing to see that people were largely compliant with the government guidance. Where they weren’t, and after we engaged with them, they quickly were.
“It was disappointing that a relatively small group in Hyde Park came together to protest the regulations in clear breach of the guidance, putting themselves and others at risk of infection.
“Officers once again, took a measured approach and tried to engage the group to disperse. They clearly had no intention of doing so, and so it did result in 19 people being arrested, and a further ten being issued with a fixed penalty notice.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--UK Records 468 More Coronavirus Deaths In 24 Hours As Latest Care Home Data Released

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The number of people who have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus has risen to 34,466 – an increase of 468 over 24 hours.
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Since the end of April, the government’s daily announcement has included people in care homes and the community, rather than just in hospital, who have died.
But only those who had tested positive for Covid-19 are included, meaning anyone who died with a suspected case won’t be recorded.
The figures cover the period up to 5pm on Friday.
It comes after the number of people who have died in hospitals across the UK, as well as care homes in Wales, after contracting the virus rose by 244 in 24 hours.
The increase consists of 181 hospital patients in England, 41 people in Scotland, 4 people in Northern Ireland and 18 hospital patients and care home residents in Wales.
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Meanwhile, as of 9am on Saturday, 1,742,028 people have been tested for coronavirus, with 240,161 coming back positive.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--Coronavirus Has Left Dentistry In Crisis, And The Fallout Could Prove Disastrous For The NHS

Some 70% of dentists could close before the end of lockdown. Phil Noble / Reuters
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Dentists across the UK are calling for financial support from the government amid fears that some 70% of surgeries could close, with devastating consequences for the NHS.
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Every dental practice in the country was forced to shut its doors on March 23 when it was announced the UK would be going into lockdown.
With income plummeting to zero overnight, private dentists – many of which also operate under smaller, but vital, NHS contracts alongside their private work – were left suddenly facing a crisis.
The situation became even more critical when it emerged that many surgeries wouldn’t be eligible for any of the financial support unveiled by chancellor Rishi Sunak.
The reasons some dental surgeries have been left in such a precarious financial position are varied and complicated.
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NHS dentists still qualify for funding, though private practices do not.
Many struggling businesses on the high street in the retail, hospitality or leisure sectors qualify for measures such as business rates relief, applied automatically by the council. Despite providing an essential public service, dental surgeries do not qualify for this support.
And a large proportion of dentists also miss out on the small business grant fund, either because they earn more than the threshold, or in some cases own more than one surgery. Many dentists earn just above the £50,000 threshold for the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS), which means they’re also facing a sudden drop in income personally, as well as across their business.
With zero income, and costs mounting up, some surgeries believe they will only survive a matter of weeks before being forced to close their doors.
Christina Chatfield, a hygienist, opened Dental Health Spa in Brighton in 2007, selling her home during the financial crisis to keep it open and training many of her own staff as apprentices.
With no income and no financial help from the government, she fears she will be left bankrupt in a month.
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Christina Chatfield Christina Chatfield
“I suppose if I look back over the last 13 years there are many, many things that I thought might finish me including spending those first years at the height of a recession,” she said.
“But a pandemic isn’t something of anyone’s making, and to be excluded by the government as a healthcare professional from a lot of government support is one of the biggest sucker punches.”
On April 21, more than 100 MPs wrote to Rishi Sunak, highlighting the evidence that some 75% of dentists would receive no support from the government and calling on the government to change its approach to avoid “financial ruin” for the sector as a whole.
I've joined with 101 other MPs to call on the Government to provide urgent support to save dental practices.
I have always fought for better dental access for all, and this crisis threatens to make things worse.
The Government must act now. pic.twitter.com/zJ1rJ7McUK — Judith Cummins (@JudithCummins) April 23, 2020
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To do so, they asked for the £50k cap on the SEISS to be raised by the Treasury, for easier access to the coronavirus business interruption loan (which some 90% of applicants were turned down for, according to the MPs’ letter), and for business rates to be extended to all practices.
The Treasury has not yet made any changes to its approach. No comment was offered by the department when contacted by HuffPost UK, but it set out the help offered to small businesses generally, as well as pointing out that dentists are set to be fully remunerated for the NHS work they would have otherwise undertaken during the pandemic.
But dentists, and their representatives, need the government to move quickly, as they did in March when the gambling industry appealed for help from the government and then was included in an amendment to the measures.
Bookmakers may now have a route to a future beyond coronavirus, but dentistry – an essential part of the nation’s healthcare system – does not.
British Dental Association chair Mick Armstrong said: “A service tens of millions depend on is still waiting on government to throw it a lifeline.
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“While bookies have been extended full relief from rates, it is costing many practices a fortune to remain closed.
“We aren’t looking for special treatment, just the same support that’s been offered to our neighbours on the high street.”
Many private dentists do not have NHS contracts, and even many of those who do are unlikely to survive the pandemic as it constitutes such a small fraction of their overall income.
The disappearance of 70% of dental surgeries from the high street would mean a loss of jobs across the country, as well as severing patients from trusted healthcare professionals – a relationship that is especially significant in a sector of healthcare so synonymous with patient fear.
Chatfield said: “The thing with dentistry is that fear keeps people away – a fear of the cost, fear of the pain.
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“If a patient has found somewhere they’re comfortable with and it’s taken them a long time to go, how do they then find a whole new pathway of care?
“And then there are huge concerns about what you miss as a clinician if you’re not actually physically examining a patient. We know that mouth cancer kills more people than testicular or cervical cancer combined because of late detection.
“If you’re talking over the phone with a dentist and you’ve got a little lump, they’ll probably prescribe you antibiotics for an abscess, and there are so many things that could be missed, in all sorts of areas. Those will have a much longer lasting impact.”
As lockdown wears on emergency dental hubs have opened across the country, but referrals must be made by a dentist over the phone and the locations are kept highly secret. In Brighton, a local hub didn’t arrive for more than six weeks.
“It’s not like the health of your mouth doesn’t matter – there are so many links to the rest of your body, especially if you look at Covid-19 and how it affects people with a compromised immune system,” Chatfield explained.
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“If you broke your arm you’d be able to get treatment for it, but if a patient knocks their front teeth and it ends up needing root treatment – which is really painful – you’re told all you can do is give patients antibiotics.
“You know as a clinician that isn’t the right thing to do and you’re being told you shouldn’t be treating people, but dentists have taken a Hippocratic oath of care. That doesn’t switch off just because the government says you’ve got to stop treating people overnight.”
“That’s all we’re asking for as a profession, for the same help that other businesses have been given. Otherwise we’ll vanish.”
Unlike other sectors of healthcare, dentistry isn’t easily split into the sectors of “public” and “private”. The NHS relies heavily upon private surgeries, who in many cases take on smaller public contracts – for example, treating children – and offering options that simply aren’t available on the NHS.
NHS and private dentistry often takes place under the same roof, and the two are so closely interwoven that a crisis in privately-owned surgeries could create a secondary crisis in the NHS.
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Dr Glenn Steffin owns two dental practices in Sussex, both of which now face an uncertain future as a result of coronavirus.
As with Chatfield’s business, the outgoing costs remain extremely high, but income has plummeted to zero.
Without the support of the private sector, Steffin says, NHS dentistry faces a “disaster”.
He added: “If you take all these private surgeries away then what is left? It was traumatic before for the NHS with regards to being able to see a dental patient.
“If I do a referral I have to tell some of the patients they’ll have to wait for a year to be seen. And now you are taking that support line around the NHS away?
“The impact will be disastrous, when it hits them. You won’t get an appointment.”
Chatfield added: “Private surgeries alleviate some of the pressure on an already underfunded NHS. The health service is bolstered by private dentistry.
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“If you’ve ever tried to get an NHS appointment for a check up, you know you’re in and out within in a minute because they simply don’t have the time.
“Many people make the choice to go private, but if that’s taken away there’s no knowing what NHS dentistry will look like in the future.”
NHS England have been contacted for comment.
Even if dental surgeries can reopen, after overcoming huge financial difficulties, there’s no guarantee they’ll have the materials at hand to make it safe to do so.
Although dentists have long made use of personal protective equipment (PPE), the current demand for medical-grade kit on the frontlines of the fight against Covid-19 means supplies are increasingly scarce, and have soared in price.
Although the government has provided PPE advice to healthcare workers generally, as Steffin points out, there is no readily-available information specifically for dentists, or how they should prepare to reopen.
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In normal times, a box of 50 face masks for the Dental Health Spa would cost somewhere in the region of £5 to £6. For a box of certified FFP2 masks, Chatfield was quoted £375 plus VAT. A thousand masks would set the surgery around £3,000 plus VAT – money the surgery doesn’t have to spare.
“Of course, we have to have a business to come back to,” Chatfield said. “We have to be able to survive.
“That’s all we’re asking for as a profession, for the same help that other businesses have been given. Otherwise we’ll vanish.”
A spokesperson for DHSC said: “We are working around the clock so front line health staff, including urgent dental centres, have the equipment they need to provide safe care during this pandemic.
“We continue to discuss with PHE and the dental profession on the next steps forward, taking into account the risk of infection and consequent need for PPE.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-16--Charlie Brooker Explains 'Odd Fish' Piers Morgan's Absence From Antiviral Wipe Special

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Charlie Brooker has explained the absence of Piers Morgan from his recent satirical show Antiviral Wipe.
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Earlier this week, the Black Mirror creator debuted the latest in his Wipe series, taking an irreverent look at the last few months, and the key events that have taken place since the coronavirus outbreak.
Viewers loved the show, particularly its satirical take on the government and the media, but one figure who was left out of the hour-long special was Piers Morgan.
Charlie Brooker at the Emmys last year Vince Bucci/Invision/AP
In the last few months, the divisive daytime host has won praise from some unlikely places, due to his interviewing technique while interviewing government officials about coronavirus on Good Morning Britain.
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However, in an interview with GQ published the day Antiviral Wipe aired, Brooker noted that “we haven’t got any Piers Morgan in the show”.
Insisting it wasn’t a deliberate choice, he said: “Probably because it would have meant I would have to say something nice about him!
“He’s an odd fish, isn’t he? Because he obviously thrives on antagonising people, and so when he’s antagonising the right people from whatever your viewpoint then he’s a bit of a hero.”
Piers Morgan on the set of Good Morning Britain Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
Brooker added: “I suppose in some ways it’s refreshing because he does seem to actually relish being disliked by half the population at any given time.”
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The man himself didn’t seem to put off by the snub, though, joking: “Oh no, I’m now too angelic to be trashed by [Charlie Brooker] – this is a disaster.”
He later praised the show in a separate tweet:
Oh no, I’m now too angelic to be trashed by @charltonbrooker - this is a disaster. 👇 https://t.co/utFeN6p56l — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 14, 2020
This show was bitingly, savagely hilarious, though my laughter was constantly tempered by the knowledge Brooker was also ruthlessly exposing the Govt’s shocking complacency & incompetence from the start of this crisis.
Watch it on @BBCiPlayer, laugh, and then get angry. 👇 https://t.co/ZVYJGmdPGj — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 15, 2020
Last week, Piers was left fuming over a supposed ban on government officials appearing on Good Morning Britain, tweeting: “The UK Govt has banned any ministers from appearing on [Good Morning Britain] after a series of them made complete fools of themselves in the face of basic & important questions. This is a pathetic & cowardly response to THEIR shameful incompetence.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-17--UK's Biggest Public Leisure Centre Operator Asks Councils For Money To Survive Lockdown

The Local Government Association has warned that leisure providers are facing a crisis amid the pandemic. monkeybusinessimages via Getty Images
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The UK’s biggest public leisure centre operator has been forced to ask local councils for increased support to help it survive the crisis caused by lockdown.
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GLL – a charitable social enterprise which runs 270 leisure facilities under the “Better” brand, as well as 75 libraries and 10 children’s centres nationwide – has reached out to more than 40 local authority partners and asked them for financial help as income throughout the pandemic plummets to zero.
A spokesperson for the group denied any allegations that it was set to fall into administration, but confirmed that council partners across the UK had been approached for help.
Many of the local authorities GLL works with are based in the capital, but since its inception in 1993 the group has grown its portfolio to encompass councils nationwide, facilitating leisure centres and community hubs as far away from its roots as Cornwall, Belfast, Cardiff and Carlisle.
A spokesperson for GLL said: “As a trusted local authority partner with a strong financial and social business model, we are working closely with all our council partners and clients to mitigate the impact of the pandemic – including extensively supporting local authority community resilience projects across the UK.
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“We refute any allegations that we may go into administration. GLL remains financially robust, but, whilst we have no customer income during lockdown we do need financial support from our partners; in addition to the government’s job retention scheme support.
“We have therefore, along with every other operator in the UK, asked for financial help from our local authority partners, to enable us to protect jobs and safeguard their public services, which will be in greater demand when we re-open.”
Tens-of-millions of people visit GLL centres each year, and the group employs more than 13,000 members of staff – a significant proportion of whom have now been furloughed.
Although the furlough scheme has proven a lifeline for companies like GLL, the group’s commitment to topping up staff wages to 100% from the 80% offered by the government has left it desperate for more cash.
As it stands, GLL has committed to paying staff full salary until the end of May – but beyond that the situation remains unclear.
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The spokesperson added: “Our charitable social enterprise will pay our staff their full 100% salary in May. We want councils to support us to do this beyond May to prevent the burden of the pandemic falling on lower paid, frontline staff.”
In a press release earlier in May it was revealed that GLL had gone to local authority partners to ask for help topping up pay to 100% to ensure “the sustainability of the company and its important ongoing contribution to public health and wellbeing when it can fully open again.”
The Islington Gazette reports that while Islington Council had deferred some £1.2m of rent payments, and was also supporting GLL with an undisclosed sum to help the company sustain its facilities in the borough until the end of June, the council had said it wasn’t able to afford topping up furlough pay for staff.
HuffPost UK has contacted several local authorities outside of London, and the Mayor of London’s office, to see whether or not councils will support GLL, and – if so – how they will do so.
Newcastle City Council – which runs seven facilities in conjunction with GLL declined to comment specifically on the company’s situation.
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A spokesperson said: “We know this is a difficult time for all leisure providers and are looking to see how we can support those in the city.”
Meanwhile, York City Council – which runs three leisure facilities across the city in conjunction with GLL – said it “will continue to work closely with GLL.”
Ian Floyd, the council’s interim head of paid services, said: “Throughout the city’s response to coronavirus we understand that the businesses we work with have had to adapt due to temporary closures, working differently and dealing with the financial demands this places on them.
“We are working with our partners across the city to ensure we support them to work safely, and we continue to follow government guidance regarding our ongoing service contracts.
“City of York Council supports GLL through our leisure services contract via monthly payments. This is usually paid in arrears. Following government guidance, the council have paid three months of the contract fee upfront, covering April to June 2020.
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“We understand that GLL have furloughed the majority of staff at these venues and have confirmed they are continuing to pay 100% of their salaries until May. City of York Council will continue to work closely with GLL, to work through the contract implications of the Coronavirus response which closed all public leisure facilities in March.”
It might be the biggest, but it’s not just GLL which is struggling to survive.
On May 6 the Local Government Association (LGA) warned that leisure providers were falling through the gaps in the government’s support packages for struggling businesses amid the pandemic.
The LGA, which represents councils in England and Wales, has written to culture secretary Oliver Dowden calling for charitable enterprises such as GLL to be given access to a £750m grant package for the charity and social enterprise sector.
Local authorities are responsible for a third of swimming pools, 31% of grass pitches, 13% of sports halls; and almost of fifth of all health and fitness facilities.
With the average monthly leisure utility and energy bill costing £44,000 alone, the LGA also called on the government and utility companies to also agree a short-term reduction or waiving of standing charges for energy and water.
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At the time of the release, councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson, chair of the LGA’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Board, said: “Councils are deeply concerned about the future of leisure trusts, who are charities, societies or community interest companies.
“Leisure facilities provide an affordable space for our communities to exercise and socialise with family and friends. They play a key role in improving our communities’ physical and mental wellbeing.