thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--How Long The Coronavirus Can Live On Makeup, And How To Clean It

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As we continue to adjust to the new normal caused by the coronavirus, questions of safety concerning the day-to-day items we use are growing by the second.
Mobile phones, shoes and glasses aside, this also extends to makeup, as frequently-used cosmetic products (eyeliners, mascaras and lipsticks) interact directly with the eyes, nose and mouth areas, where the virus can easily enter. And some products, like lipsticks and blotting powders, are used in public settings.
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To help you wear makeup safely going forward, we tapped a handful of experts to break down everything from important expiration dates to how to disinfect your makeup stash like a pro.
Are cosmetics susceptible to carrying Covid-19?
This question is shrouded in uncertainty, as board-certified dermatologist Dr. Adam Mamelak explained that there currently are no published studies that examine how long the virus can live on or in cosmetic products at this time.
Thakonrat Luepeng / EyeEm via Getty Images Lipsticks and balms give bacteria and viruses a direct path to your respiratory tract.
However, given that an April 2020 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine suggested that the virus can live on plastic surfaces for up to 72 hours, he suggested that this can spell trouble for many cosmetic products inside your makeup bag.
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“Plastic makeup tubes, bottles and compacts can be a concern for transmission of the virus,” Mamelak told HuffPost. “Because the virus could live on these plastic and metal cases for up to three days, handling and applying makeup, and then touching your face, could be a very real way to contract the virus.”
If you’re concerned about the makeup itself, most makeup contains preservatives to extend the shelf life of products and inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria or mould, according to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database.
“Lip products are particularly risky, because lipsticks and lip liners are a natural gateway to your respiratory tract.”
However, cosmetic chemist Vanessa Thomas explained that while preservatives do work to keep bacterial infections to a minimum, they may not be your best line of defence against Covid-19.
“Preservatives in cosmetics are typically the line of defence when it comes to contamination of beauty products,” Thomas told HuffPost. “However, preservatives mainly prevent bacterial contamination and may not protect against the virus.”
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Be extra cautious with lip products.
Given that cosmetics are arguably one of the germ-iest items we use, there’s no doubt they are subject to contamination.
This especially rings true for lip products we use, as general practitioner Dr. Aragona Giuseppe, medical adviser at Prescription Doctor, said that lip liner and lipstick products are applied directly to the mouth. This makes it important to clean them thoroughly and store them carefully (more on that later).
“Cosmetics which are not suitably cleaned, concealed or looked after pose a huge risk of infecting the user, as they are used directly on the face, and are more likely to cause infection,” Giuseppe explained. “Lip products are particularly risky, because lipsticks and lip liners are a natural gateway to your respiratory tract.”
When it comes to lip care items such as lip balms, Giuseppe acknowledged that it’s difficult to define exactly how long the virus could live on products like these.
However, much like lip makeup counterparts, he added that the risk of contamination of balms is also high, as the formula is kept in a small humid space, allowing viral particles to potentially live longer than usual.
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Replace your eye makeup products often.
Much like lipstick, balms and lip liner, mascara, eyeshadow and eyeliner products are also at risk, as they interact directly with the eye area, according to board-certified ophthalmologist Dr. Yuna Rapoport.
“I am anticipating seeing more infections that are seated with Covid-19, since we know that the virus can infect the ocular surface through the conjunctival mucous membrane and through tears,” Rapoport told HuffPost.
Javier Zayas Photography via Getty Images If you're bringing cosmetics along with you in your purse, it's recommended you disinfect them daily and replace them every six weeks.
This makes it very important to approach eye makeup products of all kinds with caution, and leave them at your home if possible. Doing so helps to decrease your risk of infection, she added.
“If possible, leave eye makeup products at home, because many times when you use them outside the home, you don’t even recognise when you touch them,” she said. “For example, if you are touching up makeup in your car (or in a public bathroom), you may touch a surface that is contaminated, forget to clean your hands, accidentally touch the makeup and then touch your face again.”
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Aside from washing your hands thoroughly before you apply eye makeup, Rapoport also advised adopting other safety methods. This includes keeping a watchful eye on the expiration dates of the products you use.
“Ideally, mascara and eyeliner should be replaced every three months, and eyeshadow can be replaced every six months,” she added. “However, if you are bringing cosmetics out with you, I would recommend replacing them in half the time ― six weeks instead of three months.”
Toss your products if you contracted the virus.
Guiseppe acknowledged that many cosmetics have antimicrobial preservative compounds that help to prevent growth of harmful bacteria. However, as we mentioned before, these same preservatives aren’t often enough to ward off viruses like Covid-19.
With this in mind, he said that tossing any products that were potentially exposed to Covid-19 is your best course of action, as he said it’s risky to keep using them.
“If you have been sick or suffered with symptoms of Covid-19, then you must throw away all cosmetics that have been used,” he cautioned. “This is because respiratory droplets may have passed from your hands or face and are now sitting on your products, which means that they are in danger of continuing to spread the virus should you use again.”
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And while wiping down cosmetics with antibacterial wipes may seem like the right thing to do, Guiseppe suggested that it’s hard to do this with many makeup products, as you can’t exactly clean inside a mascara or lip gloss.
This also is applicable to the applicator attached to these products, as they are applied directly onto your face and skin and put back into the product, he added.
Disinfect your products daily .
If you have fully recovered from Covid-19 and want to practice better hygiene habits going forward, Giuseppe advised taking the time to disinfect your products daily in order to decrease your risk for contamination.
“You should be doing this once a day, or after each use, and ensuring you are cleaning products with an anti-bacterial solution (wipes, a spray or any other product),” he said. “You can clean actual lipstick or Chapstick with a tissue and an alcohol solution; just saturate a tissue in the solution and rub away at the top and sides of the lipstick. This should get rid of the outer surface which has been exposed.”
Additionally, he also recommended ensuring that you are cleaning the outer packaging of products and keeping all cosmetics in an airtight drawer (as opposed to sitting on a dressing table). This prevents exposing them to potentially harmful bacteria, he added.
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Wash your brushes and makeup sponges carefully.
Although the American Academy of Dermatology currently advises cleaning makeup brushes every seven to 10 days, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner advised washing your brushes immediately after use in order to prevent possible infection.
“Microorganisms like to live in moist environments, which pretty makeup brushes provide,” Zeichner told HuffPost. “Plus, given the close proximity of makeup brushes through your nose and lips, I recommend extra caution and vigilant washing of your brushes.”
To wash your brushes carefully, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Susan Massick said you won’t have to buy expensive brush cleaners, as soap and water can easily get the job done.
“Wash makeup brushes with warm soapy water and dry them completely (the soap itself can help kill the viruses) once weekly, or after any time you use them,” Massick told HuffPost. “You can also look into purchasing disposable applicators, which are great for applying eyeshadows, blush and powder products.”
Daily washings also extend to makeup sponges, as board-certified dermatologist Dr. Sharleen St. Surin-Lord explained these items can also be a host to harmful pathogens.
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“If you use a tear-shaped, reusable Beauty Blender, you should wash it daily, as it absorbs bacteria, dirt and makeup,” Surin-Lord told HuffPost. “If you use a disposable wedge, this obviates the need for daily washing, as you can simply dispose of the wedge after one use.”
Be cautious of how and where you wear makeup.
As wearing protective face masks in public places is the new normal, board-certified dermatologist Susan Massick said you’ll want to be cautious about wearing makeup going forward.
“If you want to wear a mask, minimise the use of foundation and lipstick because that will easily rub off onto your mask,” Massick told HuffPost. “If you want to continue to use eye makeup (eyeliner, eye shadow, mascara), apply your products at home so you don’t have to bring them with you.”
And yes, setting sprays may be helpful in elongating the life of your makeup and avoiding frequent touch-ups. However, Massick explained that these applying sprays and wearing masks simultaneously can spell out trouble for your skin.
“Try to keep in mind that if you’re wearing a mask for extended periods of time that the sprays on top of makeup may make you more prone to breakouts, acne and irritated skin,” she said. “And even with setting sprays, the makeup will end up on the masks.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--Incensed and Insulted: This Is Why Single Parents Are Still Furious With Dominic Cummings

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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.
“Mummy, you’re not going to die are you?” Confined to her bed with symptoms of Covid-19, mum-of-two Kerry Mead felt wracked with guilt at leaving her two children to fend for themselves. And when her eight-year-old daughter voiced fears that her mother was going to die, Mead felt like the ultimate bad parent.
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Kerry Mead, 43, who lives in Bristol, has been juggling the practical and emotional aspects of childcare during the coronavirus pandemic totally alone. Even when she was bedridden with her coronavirus symptoms, she didn’t break the lockdown rules or drive her children to seek assistance.
The single mum tells HuffPost UK she feels “insulted and angry” by the actions and excuses of Boris Johnson’s special advisor Dominic Cummings who drove his wife and child from London to Durham during lockdown after his wife developed Covid-19 symptoms.
Mead, mother to son Sam, 11, who is autistic and daughter Ruby, eight, was particularly incensed by the prime minister’s defence of Cummings. Johnson said Cummings had “followed the instincts of every father and every parent”.
Kerry Mead Kerry Mead with her son Sam, 11 and daughter Ruby, eight
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“To try and get around it by saying he was just trying to be a good dad is insulting and a kick in the teeth,” Mead says. “It is offensive to other parents up and down the country who stuck to the rules and he is insulting our intelligence with his blatant lies.”
Cummings and the government “are rewriting history and using parenthood as an excuse”, she suggests. “They are basically saying that all the thousands of people who weren’t there for their loved ones as they were abiding by the rules should have used their ‘common sense’ and done it anyway.”
“To try and get around it by saying he was just trying to be a good dad is insulting and a kick in the teeth.” - Kerry Mead
Mead first started to feel poorly and fatigued about a week after UK lockdown began. It soon got to the point where she could not get out of bed for two days as she was so exhausted and full of aches and pains.
“I felt very anxious and my fear was for my kids and how they would cope if I got worse,” she says. “One night, I woke up and was really struggling with my breathing and had a high temperature and was sweating a lot. I knew I was at the point where I would either start getting better or get a lot worse.”
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Mead couldn’t send her children – who could have been infectious – to stay with their dad as he is asthmatic and has another three-year-old child. And the thought never entered her head to get anyone in to help or to travel with her children to seek assistance, she says. They would just have to “get on with it”.
“My children were just left to their own devices and had to fend for themselves as I had no choice,” she says – even when that meant them living off toast and cereal. At one stage, Mead heard Sam telling his sister: “No, you can’t sharpen a knife with a pair of scissors.” In alarm, she dragged herself out of bed despite feeling completely “out of it” and tried to supervise them from the sofa.
“I was amazed at how well my children coped and what they were capable of,” she says. “All they knew about coronavirus was that people were dying from it.”
Kerry Mead Ruby, Kerry and Sam.
Mead began to recover after about a week. But since hearing about Dominic Cummings driving to Durham and back, and a 30-mile trip to Barnard Castle that he claims was a means of testing his eyesight, she says she is furious.
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“When I was ill, I kept my children in the house with me as I was thinking about the community and the collective responsibility we all have in trying not to spread Covid-19,” she says.
“We have all had to make sacrifices and I believe Dominic Cummings is telling complete lies and drove to Durham as he didn’t want to stick to the rules.
“It is the sheer arrogance and an example of the patriarchal society we live in. Dominic Cummings was well enough to drive 260 miles from London – but not well enough to look after his son. The thought of looking after his own son seems to have been against what he thought he should do.
“But single parents don’t have that luxury. We have to take the burden and weight and practical worries all on our own without anyone to share it with.”
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Mead isn’t alone in her feelings about Cummings. There are around two million single parents across the UK and they make up almost a quarter of families with dependent children. About 90% of single parents are women – who are disproportionately affected by pressures caused by the coronavirus crisis.
Dr Emma Russell, a clinical psychologist and single mum to Dylan, 14 and Ben 12, says that not only have single parents been inadequately supported during the pandemic, but that Dominic Cummings’ actions and the government’s defence of him shows disdain for them – and for other vulnerable people.
“If someone does something wrong and admits, ‘Actually, I was selfish’, you would feel more forgiving,” she says.
“But Dominic Cummings does not seem to recognise why people are upset. He should have acknowledged what he did was wrong and say he had made a mistake. I think he should resign.”
Russell adds: “It is not only his behaviour that is upsetting but the way he is being supported by so many of the cabinet.”
Dr Emma Russell
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Russell, who lives in Hove, says that lockdown’s taken her back to the isolation she experienced when she first became a single parent nine years ago. Her kids’ father is a surgeon who was redeployed to Covid wards so to prevent putting them at risk, he could not see them for the first month of lockdown.
But right at the start of lockdown, Russell herself became ill, only later realising her extreme fatigue and loss of taste and smell may have been coronavirus.
“At the time, I didn’t even think it could be Covid as being ill just felt like another thing to deal with,” says the 48-year old, who doesn’t have any family nearby though describes her good neighbours as a “godsend”.
“It never even crossed my mind to get in a car and drive with my children somewhere. We stayed at home and didn’t go anywhere as those were the rules,” says Russell, adding that Cummings actions feel like “a slap in the face”.
″There were two of them and they both have good jobs. They should have been able to manage without breaking the lockdown rules.
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“If we all did what he did, there would be chaos.”
Wendy Doyle, 42, who lives in South Shields in the North East, isn’t a single parent but her husband Nigel who works for an offshore company has been stranded in the Caribbean since February. “I wasn’t expecting or prepared for this pandemic and lockdown or that I would go through it without another adult in the house,” explains Doyle, who has two daughters aged 13 and nine.
“My husband went to work on a six week rotation and should have come back at the end of March. But he has been unable to get back. It was very stressful and I was suddenly thrown into life as a single parent.”
Wendy Doyle Wendy Doyle
A few days after the schools closed, Doyle became ill with flu-like symptoms and when they persisted, she realised they could be signs of coronavirus.
“I had a temperature, fever, muscle pains, headaches and felt disorientated,” she says. ″I didn’t have a persistent cough but I lost my sense of taste and smell and they didn’t return for about six weeks.”
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Despite being overwhelmed with fatigue, Doyle forced herself to function as best she could with no other adult in the house to look after the children. After her daughters became ill with tiredness and temperatures, too, the three of them remained in the house, completely isolated.
Wendy Doyle Wendy Doyle's daughters, 13 and nine
“I never contemplated leaving the house as I knew the purpose of lockdown was for people in our situation to stay at home to keep everyone safe,” she says. “Even though there was a car sitting outside, I would never have taken my girls anywhere as that would have been immoral.”
Doyle says she feels as if Dominic Cummings is treating people such as her “like idiots” by trying to justify there were exceptions to the rules due to his circumstances. “There were no exceptions,” she says. “The only exception I remember was for people experiencing domestic abuse.”
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Victoria Benson, chief executive of Gingerbread, the charity supporting single parent families, tells HuffPost UK that while many single parents are rightly upset about the news of Dominic Cummings seemingly flouting the lockdown rules, it shouldn’t overshadow the bigger issues facing these families who are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
“Single parents are losing jobs and income, are worried about how they will feed their children, and are agonising over who will look after their children if they get ill,” says Benson. “We are extremely concerned that the Covid-19 crisis will push more parents into poverty.
Those facing the practical and emotional impact of caring for children alone have been “desperate to call on wider family and friends for support”, she adds.
“The Dominic Cummings affair has left many single parents confused about whether they can leave their homes to seek help with childcare and the government must provide greater clarity on the appropriate measures single parents can take to seek childcare and safeguard their families during lockdown.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--I’m Not Ready To Send My Kids Back To School. Not Yet

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I wept actual tears of joy last week when all four of us went to our little park.
I’m the mother of two very lively small boys, in the eleventh week of being stuck in our domestic prison. My husband, suffering from the aftermath of suspected Covid-19, has often felt too unwell to go out. We are thankful for the days that he does feel up to it.
I’m trying to keep down a demanding job, look after two holy terrors, my husband, and not go mad in the process. We have all shouted at each other more than we should, but I feel some solace in the knowledge that we are not the only ones.
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All parents are exhausted. They have had enough – enough of juggling work, home schooling, and 24-7 childcare with no help. Enough of reduced incomes, ill health and coping with their little darlings’ fights and shouting competitions. We’re walking a tightrope getting thinner and longer by the day.
But ever since Boris’ bumbling announcement of the schools reopening, my anxiety has sky-rocketed. We all want our children and teachers to go back.The question is not whether kids should go back. The question is when will it be safe?
“I respect the right of every parent and teacher to make their own decision. But for me, there is no dilemma.”
I have relatives working in the NHS. I am relieved every time their shifts for that week are over. Our family has suffered a bereavement. One relative had to go onto a ventilator and tragically passed away. He leaves behind a young widow and two teenage boys.
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I respect the right of every parent and teacher to make their own decision. But for me, there is no dilemma: 1 June is too soon to send them back to school.
We started working at home and keeping the kids home before schools’ closure was even mentioned in a press conference. Home schooling has been no picnic: our patience is tested every minute of the day as we simultaneously entertain a jealous toddler while teaching a reluctant four-year-old. I have spent more time on phonics and negotiating shifts with my husband than I ever wanted to. I feel completely ready to hand them over. But I do not think it is safe. So on I will go, for as long as I need to.
The safety of children, staff and their families is every parent and teacher’s overriding concern. I do not envy any headteacher having to weigh up the risks of the virus’ infection, transmission and its consequences against other risks, particularly mental health risks and safeguarding concerns.
We are all influenced by our own personal situations, and none of us is completely impartial. But I have also analysed the evidence. First, the reopening of schools in countries like Denmark (which I note the government heavily relies on, and which many have cited with blind optimism) does not reassure me: Denmark has one of the lowest death rates in Europe, while ours is the highest. Secondly, early evidence suggested children might not be as infectious but more recent studies suggest the exact opposite. Moreover, the professional body for doctors supports the unions in saying this step is premature, saying until we have got the case numbers much lower we should not consider reopening schools and that we must not risk people mixing with each other without the ability to rigidly adhere to social distancing. Even the government’s own guidelines concede that very young children are unable to effectively socially distance.
supersizer via Getty Images First day of school
“My biggest fear is that sending children back on 1 June could contribute to a second spike”
Finally, the SAGE advice on reopening schools, finally published last week, indicated that the evidence remains inconclusive on both the susceptibility and infectivity of children, while the Independent Sage committee said the risk to children would be halved if the restart date was delayed by even just two weeks.
How do we send our children, and our teachers, back into classrooms with this knowledge? My eldest has told me he is scared of going back while the ‘bug’ is out there, and I agree with him.
My biggest fear is that sending children back on 1 June could contribute to a second spike. Knowing the government’s mistakes with care homes, I see this as a disaster waiting to happen. How many teachers and family members could die this summer if they go back? Will Gavin Williamson suddenly be telling us that he put a ‘protective ring’ around schools too? How many dead teachers is he prepared to eulogise this August?
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We all want our children to go back to school. The question is not if but when: when will it be safe? For me, the answer is clear: not yet. We were too slow into lockdown. We must not risk weeks of sacrifice by being in too much of a rush to come out of it and risk a second spike and thousands of deaths.
This time we need to get the timing right.
Clare Steel is a parent, writing under a pseudonym


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--As One Million Women Miss Smear Tests During Lockdown, Should We Be Worried?

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Around one million women have had their smear tests cancelled or postponed during lockdown, charities estimate, with some warning that the longterm impact could mean an increase in cervical cancer cases.
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Going for a smear test – a process officially called cervical screening – allows a clinician to check for the HPV virus or cell changes in your cervix. Some cases of HPV and cell changes go back to normal by themselves, but in other cases, treatment is needed to prevent abnormalities developing into cancer.
Screening has been paused almost completely in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, where only “a handful of appointments” have been carried out during lockdown, according to Kate Sanger, a spokesperson from Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust. Meanwhile, screening services in England have become a postcode lottery, with decisions about whether or not to run services decided at a local level
Pausing screening “is far from ideal”, but necessary to protect women and NHS staff from the immediate threat of coronavirus, says Sanger.
“That’s not to downplay the anxiety or frustration that will be felt by some women who are having tests delayed, especially if they have experienced abnormal cells in past tests, which will mean anxieties will be even higher,” she tells HuffPost UK.
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Around five million people are invited for screening every year in the UK, Sanger says. Due to the disjointed approach across England during lockdown, we do not know exactly how many appointments have been missed in the past few months, but the charity estimates at least a million women have been affected.
“We are anticipating there to be an increase in people with cell changes and potentially some additional cancers as a result of the pausing,” Sanger says.
Women are sharing details about their cancelled appointments on social media, with many expressing concerns about when services will resume.
Smear test cancelled twice now. All that campaigning in 2019 to get women to attend them. Just to tell them they are now insignificant. What the hell are we doing? — HarrietLucy (@MissHarrietLucy) May 16, 2020
Four years ago today my friend, Claire, lost her battle to cervical cancer. I had my smear test cancelled in March as it was a non emergency appointment. Let’s get these services back online as soon as it’s safe to do so, so that people can get tested and the treatment they need. pic.twitter.com/53WwAfBmUq — Trish Roberts (@TrishAtAspire) May 14, 2020
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Rang my doctor today about smear test and she said it’s closed for now. I need a yearly test due to previous serious issues and it’s overdue now. Will try to get it done privately instead. — Máire (@busymammy26) May 16, 2020
My surgery have cancelled all smear tests. Due early March. I was too late just before they shut the doors. Now just been told to wait. Worrying really. — A girl (@Losing_Nemo) April 28, 2020
At the end of March I had an NHS letter reminding me to attend my smear test. It’s drummed into us that we mustn’t leave it. Catch cervical cancer early they say. I rang my GP and all smear testing is cancelled at the moment. Worrying! — Clare (@cosyhomeceramic) April 26, 2020
Hearing about the delays can be particularly troubling for women like Penny Simmons – a cervical cancer survivor who now campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of cervical screening.
“If I hadn’t gone for screening, I’d have never found out I had cancer, or if I had found out, it would have been much, much further down the line,” Simmons tells HuffPost UK. “At the time of my screening I had no symptoms at all and there was nothing to indicate that there was anything wrong with me.”
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Penny Simmons Penny Simmons and her three children.
The mum-of-three was 37 when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2018. She’d had a smear test one year previously that had detected “borderline abnormalities” so was invited for another smear 12 months later, instead of the usual three-year gap.
“I went from borderline to cancer in a year. I’ve been thinking about this a lot during lockdown,” she says. “We don’t know when the screening will resume. All these months are passing and for someone like me, those months were really quite crucial.”
Simmons had a hysterectomy to remove her cancer and didn’t require chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but she’s worried women impacted by lockdown will not have the same treatment options available to them.
“I don’t know how fast growing my cancer could have been in that time if I’d had a delay – and thank God I’ll never know,” she says.
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“I went from borderline to cancer in a year. I’ve been thinking about this a lot during lockdown.” - Penny, cervical cancer survior
Even after it’s declared safe for smear tests to resume, the system “won’t be up and running quickly”, says Sanger.
GP surgeries – where the majority of women go to have their smear tests – will be dealing with a backlog of “all manner of health conditions” post-lockdown, on top of a long waiting list of women due their smears. They’ll also need to implement social distancing, which may reduce the number of patients they can see in a day.
Sanger is also concerned that fewer women will choose to attend their appointments, because some women will be concerned about undergoing “a very intimate test after so long social distancing”.
Gemma Jackson, 38, from Derbyshire, admits she’s cancelled her smear test for this reason, despite the fact they’re still going ahead in her area. “I don’t know if that’s wise, I’ve had pre-cancerous cells before,” she says. “I’m just scared to go to the doctors.”
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Jackson has two children and her husband is a key worker, so when her April smear test date approached, she decided it “just wasn’t worth the risk of catching coronavirus”.
“I appreciate that the chances of us getting seriously ill are slim even if we do get it, but I’m just wanting to stay home now,” she says. “The thought of going to the doctors just feels surreal and risky. I just need to pluck up the courage to go I think. I understand potentially getting cancer could be much worse.”
Other women share Jackson’s concerns. The Eve Appeal’s nurse-led information service, Ask Eve, saw a 22% increase in calls in March compared to February 2020 with people worried about the impact of the pandemic on gynaecological cancers.
Karen Hobbs, who runs the service, tells HuffPost cervical screening is by far the most common topic women have been calling to discuss.
Some women have increased anxieties about screening, or are confused about whether or not they can book a smear test in their area, she says. Others calling the helpline have had appointments cancelled and are now worried about the implications for their health.
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Hobbs tries to reassure women that HPV – the virus that causes abnormal cells in the majority of cases – is usually slow-growing.
“For the most part, it’s medically safe to postpone an appointment a little bit. Routine screening is usually a check of a healthy cervix,” she says.
However, she says the risk of lockdown delays will be higher for women who are already overdue having a smear test. Women delay smears for a multitude of reasons, from difficulty getting an appointment around childcare to past trauma that makes the procedure itself difficult.
“It would be very rare and unlikely [to develop cancer during lockdown], but of course it’s a risk and I would be lying if I said it wasn’t a risk,” she says.
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So what can women do while services remain paused? Hobbs recommends refreshing yourself on the symptoms of cervical cancer that can be detected without a smear test.
These include unusual bleeding – such as bleeding while not on your period, particularly after sex – unexplained pelvic pain, pain and discomfort during sex, and an unpleasant smelling vaginal discharge. If you recognise any of these symptoms, you should contact your GP surgery to arrange a virtual appointment.
“I was diagnosed with cervical cancer a few years ago. I had bleeding after sex and was diagnosed very quickly and treated very early,” Hobbs says. “So I’m very passionate about people knowing that these things can be sorted out. Cancer doesn’t need to mean what it used to mean.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--How To Deal When You And Your Housemates Interpret Lockdown Rules Differently

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Over the past few weeks, the lockdown guidelines have slowly changed for people in England, after some initial confusion.
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People would be forgiven for being a little hazy when it comes to knowing exactly what they can and can’t do. Where once the rules were simple – “stay at home as much as possible” – now, things are less straightforward.
You could argue people are interpreting the guidelines differently, or you might say some are brazenly flouting them. Either way, what happens when you’re living in a household where you don’t agree with what other people are doing?
It’s a challenge faced by thousands up and down the country. You want to keep the peace in your home – so, what can you do?
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Don’t ignore it, have a chat
Firstly, it’s worth sitting down with the person and having a casual chat, says Julia Esteve Boyd, known as The Etiquette Consultant. You don’t want people to feel uncomfortable – or do anything to cause offence – but you should make your voice heard. “This situation is unprecedented and people react in different ways – from one extreme to another and everything in between,” she says.
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Among her clients, she’s seeing a “huge amount of anxiety and uncertainty” while others have “little concern at all”. It’s this divide that makes it hard for those who live under the same roof.
While there’s no golden rule to approaching this subject, most people respond well to a direct approach, says Esteve Boyd. “Tell them that you don’t feel the same and that you want to set some boundaries that you can both respect,” she advises.
Pick your time wisely
Professor Mike Berry, a clinical forensic psychologist, says you shouldn’t drop the conversation on them at an inconvenient time. ”Don’t do it in a heated discussion or when the person is tired,” he says.
“It might be worth doing it when the issue is being discussed on the news, for example. Or in the presence of their girlfriend, boyfriend or someone else.” They may be more open to listening to your point of view if they’re in the right headspace.
Discuss solutions, not just the problem
Explain your concerns, whatever they may be, and how it’s affecting you. And work together on a compromise. For example, if they’re mixing households but you don’t feel comfortable doing that, you could discuss what measures could be taken when they arrive home.
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“If you have a flatmate who has respect for you – no matter the differing opinions – then hopefully you can come to a mutual understanding,” Esteve Boyd adds.
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Generally, people don’t respond too well to being given orders, so avoid this. Esteve Boyd suggests humour can work in a situation like this: “Joking about some new sanitising rules that you are imposing at home may suffice.”
And Berry says it’s better to speak to them on a personal level, rather than referring to the general population – i.e. tell them how it is making you feel and affecting you, rather than dishing out details on national data.
Be compassionate
It’s important to remember the person may be interpreting the rules differently because they’re struggling to deal with the situation. “It could be that they need some support to encourage them through it – so perhaps compassion is the answer,” adds the etiquette expert.
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In some parts of the UK, especially more deprived areas, young people have been struggling to stay indoors due to overcrowded conditions at home. Youth charity Connect Stars spoke to 130 people aged between 13 and 24 across the London borough of Brent who were not adhering to social distancing rules. One young person told volunteers they were “just looking for an escape from my family”.
Others may struggle with the thought of going outside after lockdown – even though restrictions have been eased – and prefer to stay indoors as much as possible.
Focus on what you can control
There may be a situation where the person you live with doesn’t listen to your concerns. If so, there’s little you can do. While you could report them to the authorities, says Boyd, it’s likely you’ll burn bridges in the process. Perhaps not the best solution for you and your mate.
It’s worth focusing on your own boundaries, what you can control, and how you are choosing to abide by the guidelines. If you’re worried about going outside, for example, but your flatmate is not, you could be as sanitary as you can when sharing anything in the home. You might want to rewash plates and cutlery before using them, even if they’ve been put away clean in the cupboards.
Accept that people will act differently during these times, and try to keep that line of communication open with them so the relationship doesn’t turn sour.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--As A Survivor Of Sexual Assault, The Pandemic Is An Unexpected Break From Trauma

d3sign via Getty Images The author was living in a high level of crisis until recently.
The week before Canada started social distancing, I was in a hospital emergency room. I had collapsed on a park bench, dizzy and slurring my words, and had trouble understanding where I was. The paramedics feared a stroke, but five hours later I was told nothing was medically wrong with me. I left feeling confused. The next day I was back to work, having told no one what had happened.
This was not the first time. As a survivor of sexual assault living with post-traumatic stress disorder, the last few years have felt like tripping from one landmine to another.
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I have been slipping in and out of burnout, working 12- to 16-hour days trying to make ends meet in an expensive city. My work as an emerging theatre artist and community organizer always focused on other peoples’ needs, and often on how they perceived me. I feared taking a break, like if I stopped hustling the world would move on without me. It also made it easier not to face the parts of me that needed care.
This combination of workaholism and people-pleasing often took a toll on my physical and mental health, never offering me enough room to address my trauma. A few months after the last time I was raped, I was in hospital with kidney stones, something that usually happens to middle-aged people. The next day I went to an audition, led a workshop and brought supplies to a group holding a sit-in.
“I am a survivor in a few ways — several sexual assaults, and a lifetime of living in a body that was sexualised early and often.”
I repeated this cycle for years, recovering only enough to get by and putting on a positive face to avoid making people worry. I went to therapy when I could afford it, consumed the “right” books and podcasts, practised yoga. In reality, it felt like I had survived the trauma, but I would not survive the recovery.
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Then the Covid-19 pandemic started and the world stopped — and I feel calm for the first time.
I don’t wake in a panic in the morning, like finally having permission to feel panicked took the anxiety away. I no longer feel judgment for not leaving the house or not looking put-together. I can do things based on what I want, not pressure or guilt. With everything out of my control, I am no longer wearing myself out managing my reactions.
In a sense, it feels like the rest of the world finally caught up with the level of crisis I was living in all the time.
I am a survivor in a few ways – several sexual assaults, and a lifetime of living in a body that was sexualised early and often. In 2015, I found myself in a relationship with a man I thought I was in love with, but who was raping me.
When someone unexpectedly enters my personal space it can bring me back to times when I was touched without wanting to be. Of three responses to trauma – fight, flight and freeze – I tend toward dissociation, part of the “freeze” response. My mind shuts down to protect itself from too much information. It feels like I’m drowning, overwhelmed by my body’s response to the dangers it perceives around me.
Like the time crowds of strangers at the Richmond Night Market triggered a panic attack, reducing me to tears. Or the time a woman asking for money unexpectedly startled me outside of a poetry show — I shook and sobbed for half an hour. Or when I spent sleepless nights imagining that my downstairs neighbours might break into my room for revenge after I asked them to turn down their music. Or when a belligerent stranger cornered me and my roommate when we were buying bagels in the first week of March. Every time, I put myself back together and pressed on.
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Daily, vivid sensory memories (especially scent and touch) come as flashbacks, and I have frequent nightmares. I am left drowsy and forgetful, and have even fallen asleep in public for weeks after. What amount of time or space does a person even need to recover from things like this?
“I never could have imagined a world in which all strangers must stay six feet away from me.”
Over the last couple years, I have kept track of “firsts” that felt particularly important to my healing: when I said “no” to my therapist asking if she could move her chair closer to me in a session; when I said “no” to a hug from a strange man at a friend’s funeral in 2018; when I told a man that he had done something non-consensual during a hookup this past winter.
Starting with these small steps, I never could have imagined a world in which all strangers must stay six feet away from me. Not needing to be constantly alert to possible dangers feels like a miracle for my alert, chronically panicked body. And new research says I’m not the only one.
Other people complain about missing physical touch, but I feel safer than I thought possible. No strange men can stand too close to me at bus stops, no one can grab me at bars or on transit. I went for a run in the evening and I didn’t feel panicked to make it home before dark — something would have sent me spiralling for days. The store where I bought bagels before now has a sign dictating only two customers allowed at a time. Getting the time to pick my order as slowly as I want feels luxurious.
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urbazon via Getty Images These days, the author experiences fewer situations that make her feel unsafe.
I acknowledge the great privilege I have in this moment — being laid off from a salaried job, qualifying for government support, having a rental that is mostly stable, not being part of the essential workforce or the street economy— but my nervous system has never had two full months of rest like this. I hope I can hold onto this slow lifestyle, listening to my needs better, allowing myself to honour what locations and people feel safe.
It’s becoming more obvious to everyone that this world was not built for all of us, and living this slowly was never an option for me before. In many ways, this is the sabbatical I always dreamed of but would never financially have been able to take.
I feel guilty for enjoying my life so much right now, and I wish I had had a break under better circumstances. I shouldn’t have needed a pandemic to take time to do some healing. I wish many things were different — including the reality of sexism and rape culture — but for now I’ll settle for a six-foot bubble.
This article first appeared on HuffPost Canada Personal


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--TV Baftas 2020: Richard Ayoade Succeeds Graham Norton As Host

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Richard Ayoade has been announced as the host of the upcoming TV Baftas, in a year with a few notable changes to the ceremony.
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Back in March, it was revealed that Bafta had decided to postpone the annual ceremony, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
It has now been confirmed that they’ll be going ahead on 31 July, albeit with a couple of tweaks to the usual proceedings.
Richard Ayoade is the new host of the TV Baftas Victoria Will/Invision/AP
For one thing, the event will be taking place “as closed studio, socially-distanced shows”, with winners accepting their awards virtually.
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The event will also have a new host, with Graham Norton stepping aside to make way for comedian and presenter Richard Ayoade.
Summing up the feelings of many, Richard joked: “I am as surprised as you are that this is still going ahead.”
In a somewhat more detailed statement, Bafta’s chief executive Amanda Berry said: ’ We want to celebrate and reward the talented individuals who make up the television industry, both behind and in-front of the camera, many of whom have continued to entertain and inform the nation in recent weeks.
“I am thrilled that Richard Ayoade will be hosting the Television Awards for the first time, with Stephen Mangan joining us for a ninth time to host the Television Craft Awards, with them at the helm both events are set to be great entertainment.
“Following the success of the online British Academy Games Awards in March, we are proud to be delivering a further two Awards shows during this difficult time.”
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Graham Norton on the Baftas red carpet earlier this year Samir Hussein via Getty Images
Graham returned as host of the TV Baftas in 2019, succeeding Sue Perkins, who had hosted the previous two years.
Earlier this year, Graham hosted the film Baftas for the first time, taking over from Joanna Lumley, whose two-year stint as presenter of the show garnered a mixed reaction from viewers.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--These Techniques Can Help Stop Coronavirus Spreading In The Home

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Wearing face masks at home, opening windows and frequently disinfecting surfaces are key to stopping the spread of Covid-19 in the home, a new study has found.
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Researchers questioned 460 people from 124 families in Beijing on their household hygiene and behaviours during the pandemic. It’s thought most of the person-to-person transmission of Covid-19 in China occurred in families.
Each family had at least one confirmed case of Covid-19 between February and March. The average family size was four, but ranged from two to nine people, and was usually made up of three generations.
Researchers wanted to know what factors might increase or decrease the risk of catching the virus within the incubation period – 14 days from the start of the infected person’s symptoms.
Secondary transmission – where the virus spread from the first infected person to other family members – occurred in 41 out of the 124 families.
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A total of 77 adults and children were infected in this way. A third of the children caught the virus, compared with more than two thirds of the adults.
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What reduced infection risk?
Opening windows and keeping at least one metre apart was associated with a lower risk of passing on the virus, even in more crowded households.
Frequent use of bleach or disinfectants for household cleaning and wearing a face mask at home before symptoms emerged – including by the first person to have them – were also associated with a reduced risk of transmission.
A face mask worn before symptoms started was 79% effective, and disinfection 77% effective, at stopping the virus from being passed on.
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A separate study from China found “significant transmission” of the virus takes place in households before people develop recognisable symptoms. Researcher Yang Yang, from the University of Florida, said the finding could “substantially increase the difficulty of curbing the ongoing pandemic”.
The UK government has recommended the use of face covers (not masks) when people visit public places where social distancing is hard to do. Wearing face covers is mandatory on public transport and in hospitals.
What increased infection risk?
Diarrhoea in the first person to become infected and close daily contact with family members increased the risk of passing on the virus. Diarrhoea was associated with a quadrupling in risk, emphasising the importance of hand-washing after using the toilet.
In another study, experts urged people to shut the toilet seat before flushing in order to reduce the risk of Covid-19 spreading, after researchers used a computer simulation to show how a flushing toilet can create a “cloud of virus-containing aerosol droplets”. They suggested the droplets are likely to be large and widespread, and last long enough that they could be breathed in by others.
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Close daily contact, such as eating meals around a table or watching TV together, was associated with an 18-fold increased risk of catching the virus.
What did the researchers conclude?
The study confirms that precautionary non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as mask use, disinfection and social distancing in households, “can prevent Covid-19 transmission during the pandemic, independent of household size or crowding”.
“Household transmission is a major driver of epidemic growth,” the researchers added.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--Will Boris Johnson’s Bread And Circuses Let Him ‘Move On’ In The Covid Crisis?

Sir Patrick Vallance, Boris Johnson and Chris Whitty. PA
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Let’s talk about Six, baby
As a classical scholar, Boris Johnson will be aware of the Antonine Plague, the smallpox pandemic that ravaged the Roman Empire. At its peak in 189 AD, it took the lives of 2,000 people a day in the crowded capital alone. It’s safe to say Rome’s healthcare system was overwhelmed.
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But judging from his latest moves to control our modern day killer of Covid-19, Johnson is also familiar with another key slice of Roman history: bread and circuses. Whereas the Emperors placated a restive populace with grain handouts and gladiatorial games, the PM is offering an English nation weary of lockdown the prospect of family garden BBQs and the return of the Premier League.
For many people, the easing of the social restrictions will come as a blessed relief. Being able to meet extended family and friends, in real life for the first time in more than two months, will be hugely welcome. Grandparents will be able to see grandchildren, young people can meet their friendship groups for a beer and a bite, the isolation of some of the elderly will end. Shares in Zoom could plunge.
Allowing groups of up to six people from different households to meet in back gardens (and parks) poses some challenges. You will not be allowed to linger in someone’s home, only to go through it to get to the garden. You will be able to use their loo, it seems, but only if you really, really wash your hands. And just make sure the hand sanitiser is next to the hotdog buns.
It’s true that Johnson caveated his presentation by saying it was all conditional, gradual, limited. But the overall message felt unmistakeable: the light at the end of his famous Alpine tunnel was bursting through the gloom and the green pasture is racing into view. Staycation king Matt Hancock even said this morning “let’s see” when asked if Brits could go on foreign holidays from July. The contrast in tone with the scientific advisers (who said the R rate was ‘very close to 1’ and “this set of figures urges caution”) felt very tangible.
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And thanks to Dominic Cummings, whenever the PM now says anything vaguely prescriptive about the lockdown, his words take on a different, almost tragicomic light. “We don’t want people to stay overnight, we don’t want people to go to other households and stay there,” he told the Sun. “We are not saying people should now be allowed to move freely across the country and stay in other people’s houses.” Yerright, unless your parents own a farm with several cottages in Durham.
The idea of policing the new BBQs is of course risible. Already, many people have been staging not-so-secret gatherings in each other’s gardens, teenagers have been playing football, knocking back a few cans on the rec, and the cops have barely had the numbers or inclination to crack down.
Policing Cummings’ conduct has proved even trickier. Durham Police today declared that if one of its officers had stopped him while driving to Barnard Castle, they would have “likely advised Mr Cummings to return to the address in Durham, providing advice on the dangers of travelling during the pandemic crisis”. He “might” have broken the lockdown rules, and the courts would decide that, but it was clear the force was saying there was enough evidence for a case at least.
Downing Street preferred to ignore all that and focus on the journey from London to Durham being somehow ruled OK. The word “might” was turned into a pure hypothetical. But the PM didn’t want any Cummings hypotheticals raised in his press conference, taking the extraordinary step of twice refusing to allow his chief medical officer and chief scientific adviser to answer questions about the affair.
Although Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance did eventually say they didn’t want to be dragged into ‘political’ issues, it was a new low for Johnson to try to ‘interpose’ himself between the independent advisers and the media. To suggest that questions about Cummings’ conduct are ‘political’ - rather than about the integrity of the lockdown rules and public health messaging - was itself a fresh mindwarp.
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Johnson flashed a Trumpian hint of blaming his predecessors yesterday, but even Trump allows his medics to take all questions thrown at them. The habit of ‘muting’ follow-up questions was also starkly on display today, an abuse of the virtual nature of the press conference that only served to make the PM look afraid of real scrutiny.
There is another Trump feel to the way Johnson is slowly shifting this pandemic from a national to a local issue. The president loves to devolve to state level rather than federal level if it means a shift in responsibility. Over here, it’s long been the case that the best way to kill an issue is to ‘go local’.
Why did George Osborne choose councils to carry the burden of austerity (cuts that are all too telling in social care)? Because it’s much harder to report on a myriad of local problems than a single national controversy. A cynic may similarly assume a move out of national lockdown to local lockdowns could have the same effect: the unaffected majority briefly raise an eyebrow, relieved it won’t affect them, then chuck another burger on the barbeque. The fact that tonight’s ClapForCarers could be the last of its kind is another sign that the PM could get his wish for the nation to ‘move on’.
Keir Starmer was smart enough to pop up swiftly on the news headlines to highlight Johnson’s initial attempt to gag the scientists. But he earlier said something much more wounding to the PM’s pride. “I don’t think he’s going to do anything [about Cummings] because he cannot, it seems, continue without his adviser.” The idea that this is a duumvirate government, with the PM and his adviser (not even the PM and his Chancellor) sharing power, is pretty damning.
In the end, the downside of the ‘bread and circuses’ approach is what happens when the bread runs out. Rishi Sunak is already reported to be set to force employers to pay 20% of furlough staff wages and pensions from August. If that bid to save cash backfires, the mass unemployment that many Tory MPs fear could actually materialise.
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Even Cummings’ strategic brain and Johnson’s bonhomie may struggle with the raw numbers of 60,000 dead and millions on the dole. The broader populace may also conclude that the two Emperors really do have no clothes.
Quote Of The Day
“That is not my achievement or the government’s achievement - it is your achievement.”
Boris Johnson announcing his five tests for easing lockdown are now met
Thursday Cheat Sheet
Boris Johnson announced six people from different households could meet up in gardens or parks from Monday. He confirmed schools would start to reopen from June 1 and more shops from June 15.
The NHS Test and Trace system began, but MPs said its boss Dido Harding had admitted that it wouldn’t be fully operational at local level until the end of next month. Matt Hancock said his NHSX app wouldn’t be ready for a couple of weeks.
Durham Police put out a statement that the Dominic Cummings’ visit to Barnard Castle “might” have constituted a “minor breach” of lockdown laws “that would have warranted police intervention”.
A total of 37,837 people in the UK have died after testing positive for Covid-19. The FT estimated the UK has suffered the second-highest rate of deaths in the world from the coronavirus pandemic after Spain, according to excess mortality figures.
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The English Premier League is set to resume on June 17.
Dominic Raab announced that 300,000 British National Overseas passport holders living in Hong Kong could get a ‘path to citizenship’ in UK if China pushes ahead with new security laws.
What I’m Reading
What Attacks On Asians Reveal About American Identity - BBC
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--What The New UK Lockdown Rules Allow You To Do

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Prime minister Boris Johnson has announced a “cautious” easing of lockdown in England, but what has actually changed?
The main change to the rules means small social gatherings are now permitted. Moreover, after attempting to stop scientists from asking questions about Dominic Cummings’ breach of lockdown rules, Johnson went on to confirm alterations regarding schools and retail businesses at the downing street press conference on Thursday.
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Here’s what those will look like:
Small social gatherings
zz/KGC-81/STAR MAX/IPx
From Monday groups of up to six people from outside one household can meet in private gardens for chats and barbecues provided those from different households stay two metres apart.
But they would not be allowed to stay overnight, or go indoors other than to gain access to a garden, the PM said.
Until now, families and friendship groups have only been able to meet with one other person outside their household, in public spaces such as parks, while obeying the two-metre rule.
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Johnson said the prospect of “perhaps seeing both parents at once, or both grandparents at once” will be a “long-awaited joyful moment” for many.
“I know the toll the lockdown has taken on families and friends who have been unable to see each other,” he said.
“These changes that friends and families can now meet their loved ones, perhaps seeing both parents at once, or both grandparents at once, and I know for many people this will be a long-awaited joyful moment.
“But I must stress, that to control the virus, everyone must stay alert, act responsibly, strictly observe social-distancing rules and stay two metres apart from those you do not live with.”
Coronavirus restrictions in Wales are reportedly expected to be relaxed on Monday.
First minister Mark Drakeford is set to announce on Friday that people from two different households will be able to meet up outdoors, as long as they do not travel more than five miles.
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Nicola Sturgeon has announced the first “cautious” steps out of the coronavirus lockdown will begin in Scotland on Friday.
The start of the first phase of a four-step plan will allow Scots to meet people from other households outdoors in parks and gardens – though people are advised to keep any gatherings to a maximum of eight people.
Schools
Anthony Devlin via Getty Images
Schools will be reopened to more children from Monday.
Johnson said kids had been “deprived of their education” as he announced nurseries, early-years settings, and Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 in primary schools would return to class in a “safe way”.
The PM added that, from June 15, secondary schools will begin to provide “some face to face contact time” for years 10 and 12.
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It comes despite pressure from education unions and councils who had urged the government to reconsider its plans to open schools more widely, citing safety concerns.
Retail
A general view of a currently closed branch Argos in Wimbledon. EMPICS Entertainment
Some shops are also set to reopen from Monday in a limited way.
Outdoor retail and car showrooms will be the first to open their doors to the public as those settings make social distancing “generally easier”, the PM said.
Two weeks later, on June 15, the government intends to open other non-essential retail shops, such as fashion or homeware retail.
The government has previously said stores will have to meet Covid-19 safety and security guidelines and has advised face coverings should be worn in some shops.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--What We Know – And Still Don't Know – About The Coronavirus Test And Trace System

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The long-awaited launch of the UK’s Test and Trace system, seen as key to easing the coronavirus lockdown restrictions, has gotten off to a rocky start.
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The Department of Health and Social Care admitted “some staff initially encountered issues logging on to their systems”, while MPs said they were told the programme would not be operational at a local level until the end of next month.
Dido Harding just told me on an MPs’ conference call that Test, Trace & Isolate won’t be fully operational at local level till the end of June. Not sure where that leaves Johnson’s promise of a fully operational “world beating” system by Monday.#Covid19UK — Ben Bradshaw (@BenPBradshaw) May 28, 2020
These aren’t the only issues with the system so far. This is how it’s supposed to work...
PA Media
But there are more than a few questions yet to be fully answered...
Where’s the app?
The UK’s contact tracing app has been trialled on the Isle of Wight for several weeks but a national roll-out remains delayed.
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It was supposed to be ready in mid-May but last week a Downing Street spokesperson said the app would be ready within the “coming weeks”.
Health secretary Matt Hancock has played down the situation, saying human contact tracing measures need to be introduced first.
Speaking on Sky News, he said the app trial had found being contacted first by a human tracer was more effective at “getting people used to the idea” of being told they need to isolate for 14 days because they had been in contact with someone who has coronavirus.
How will it be enforced?
Initially the system will rely on people acting responsibly and following the guidance if they are told to isolate themselves, PA Media reports.
But if the system of voluntary compliance does not work, ministers will be able to bring in tougher measures which could see people potentially subjected to spot checks and fined if they are not following the rules.
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What happens if I don’t have contact details for everyone I’ve been in contact with?
A valid question posed by a number of people on social media this morning.
So, let me get this straight
They’ve launched #TestTrackAndTrace
WITHOUT the app
The ‘#TrackAndTrace’ part relies on me providing the number of everyone i’ve been in contact with
But what happens if i’ve not got the number of everyone standing next to me on the train?!! 🤯 — Dr Sonia Adesara (@SoniaAdesara) May 28, 2020
At this stage there doesn’t appear to be an answer to this particular conundrum. The Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) did not respond to request from HuffPost UK for clarification.
How many people need to abide by the system for it to be effective?
Again, this is not clear currently and DHSC did not provide an answer when asked.
What if I can’t afford to self-isolate?
Those self-isolating will be eligible for statutory sick pay but there are fears that many workers will not be able to afford to isolate and will be forced to keep working.
Statutory sick pay stands at £95.85 per week, and according to the government website you could get it if you cannot work and are self-isolating.
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said this is not sufficient and the amount paid needed to rise in line with the Living Wage.
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She said: “We need a testing and tracing programme up and running as soon as possible but it will not be effective if workers are pushed into hardship when they are required to self-isolate.
“Statutory sick pay is just £95 per week – and two million workers aren’t even eligible for that.
“The government must extend statutory sick pay to everyone – no matter what they’re paid – and raise it to the level of the real Living Wage, £260 per week.”
What if I’ve broken lockdown rules and mingled with people I should not have – should I tell the NHS when I reveal my contacts?
The call to NHS Test and Trace will be confidential and is aimed at ensuring that potential cases are tracked down, rather than finding out if people have flouted the social-distancing rules.
Is there anything else I need to know?
There is also one factor unrelated to how the system actually works that may have a detrimental effect – Dominic Cummings.
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The shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth, has said the entire programme could be undermined by the government’s continued support for Boris Johnson’s most senior aide. Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Ashworth said: “We need everybody to cooperate with this because it’s in all of our interests that this works, and I’m sorry, I’ve got to say it, it’s why I think Matt Hancock’s support of Dominic Cummings is really irresponsible. “My worry is some people will think: ‘Why should I stay at home for two weeks on my own when I feel fine, while this guy who’s Boris Johnson’s big pal in Downing Street can get away with travelling across the country to Durham?’” Then there is the timing, something Sky News’ Kay Burley brought up in a bizarre interview with Mat Hancock on Thursday morning. Burley asked: “Be honest, you’ve rushed it forward because you want to take the headlines away from Dominic Cummings. “It should have been the first of June when the app is being launched at the same time.” To which Hancock... laughed. He then managed to add: “It’s priceless Kay, I’m usually accused of delaying these things and bringing them in too slowly.” Then he laughed some more.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--Tonight Let's Clap For All Of Us Who Followed The Rules

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It’s become an important moment for so many of us over the past 10 weeks: the clap for key workers at 8pm on Thursday evenings.
What began in darkness in mid-March now takes place in bright sunlight and the applause for NHS staff now embraces care workers, supermarket staff, drivers and all the essential workers who have kept things going during the weeks of lockdown.
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Tonight may be the last clap for a while. The woman whose idea it was, Anne Marie Plas, has suggested it become an annual event instead. So it seemed appropriate, on this last occasion, that we shouldn’t just clap key workers, we should also clap each other.
Because over the past two months, people in Britain have made tremendous sacrifices to protect each other and particularly our most vulnerable citizens. Humanity’s inclination to be kind during the coronavirus crisis is an unprecedented, uplifting demonstration of solidarity.
More than anything, it has shown us what we are capable of doing together. We must hold on to that as we face the other challenges which threaten us all, the climate and nature crises.
All those warnings about how human beings are basically shallow and self-interested have been shown to be what they are: myths, peddled by those with a vested interest in spreading fear. The truth is that goodness is hardwired in humanity.
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And it’s been on display with the hundreds of thousands of volunteers willing to risk their lives to help out, the millions of key workers who put duty and compassion above their own safety and the mutual aid movement which has brought together communities up and down our land, determined to ensure that none amongst us suffers unnecessarily or alone.
“There is an important message that all political leaders should be taking from the response to coronavirus: people are prepared to make hard choices for the common good.”
Residents in nearby houses outside the Whittington Hospital in London join in the weekly "Clap for our Carers" ASSOCIATED PRESS
It all stands in stark contrast to our country’s leadership. And I think that’s why there is such anger over the actions of Dominic Cummings, and the pathetic defence of him wheeled out by the Prime Minister. It’s as if all those sacrifices are being thrown back in our faces.
There is an important message that all political leaders should be taking from the response to coronavirus, and that is that people are prepared to make hard choices for the common good.
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I’ve lost count of the number of politicians who have said they understand what needs to be done to address the climate emergency, but they would never get public support if they tried. Well, now we know – if it’s done right, they would.
We also know that those leaders who have been open and honest and determined have saved thousands of lives; we know that governments can, if they have the will, sustain people while the economy goes through deep changes. And we know that people have shown they are willing to come together to meet a common challenge and protect those in greatest need and danger.
This is our chance to build a better future for all of us, a future where we and the climate are safer, because this pandemic and the climate and nature crises are linked. As scientists warned last month, our current destructive path has created a perfect storm for future pandemics like coronavirus.
So we must commit to a green recovery. From energy efficiency to clean transport, it’s the best way to get people back to work and build a modern, resilient economy. Our economic recovery plan can and must be our climate change plan.
Every corner of the country has shown energy and generosity in helping those most at risk. We need to tap into that, and give every part of the country the tools people need to build sustainable places and communities, sharing power, resources and responsibility.
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No more top-down politics with Westminster dictating what’s right for every community. We must all be partners in designing a better future for our country.
A few short months ago, people might have said it’s not possible, it just wouldn’t work. Now we know it is, and it would.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--Boris Johnson Tries To Stop Scientists Answering Questions About Dominic Cummings

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Boris Johnson has tried to prevent his two top science advisers from answering questions about Dominic Cummings.
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The prime minister was joined by Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, and Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, at Thursday’s Downing Street press conference.
Whitty and Valance were asked if that was the “kind of example” they would want the public to follow.
But Johnson said he wanted to “interpose” himself and stop them from answering.
He said he wanted to “protect them from what I think would be an unfair and unnecessary attempt to ask any political questions”.
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“It’s very, very important that our medical officers and scientific advisers do not get dragged into what I think most people would recognise is fundamentally a political argument,” the PM said.
Asked two more times, Whitty was eventually permitted to speak and said he had no “desire” to “get pulled into politics”.
And Vallance added as a civiI servant: “I don’t want to get involved in policies at all.”
PA
It was the first appearance by the two top scientists since Cummings was revealed on Friday to have travelled to Durham from London in March.
Neither man commented on whether Cummings’ actions, which have led at least 40 Tory MPs to demand he resign, were appropriate.
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The exchanges came as Johnson announced groups of up to six people from outside one household would be allowed to meet in private gardens.
The move will be a welcome boost for families and friendship groups, who until now have only been able to meet with one other person outside their household, in public spaces such as parks, while obeying social distancing rules.
“I must stress that, to control the virus, everyone must stay alert, act responsibly, strictly observe social distancing rules and stay two metres apart from those you do not live with,” said the PM.
Johnson also urged people to avoid “seeing too many people from too many households” in quick succession, but said further guidance would follow.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--Six People Can Meet Together Outside From Monday, Boris Johnson Announces

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Six people can meet together outside from Monday, including in private gardens, Boris Johnson has announced.
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The prime minister unveiled further easing of the coronavirus lockdown as he said the government’s five tests on progress against the epidemic were being met.
He said groups of up to six people can meet outside from June 1 “provided those from different households continue to stick to social distancing rules” and remain two metres apart.
“These changes mean that friends and family can start to meet their loved ones,” the PM told the Downing Street daily briefing.
Johnson, however, urged people to avoid seeing others from “too many households in quick succession” to avoid quick transmission between lots of different families.
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“And it remains the case that people should not be inside the homes of their friends and family, unless it is to access the garden,” he added.
Chief medical officer Chris Whitty also stressed it is “essential” that people stay two metres apart if they are from different households.
“That is really important, this risk has not gone away,” he said.
Whitty also stressed that people who maintain two metres’ distance from others will not be asked to self isolate by NHS test and trace even if they have been in contact with an infected person.
Vulnerable people who have been asked to “shield” should “continue to do so”, Johnson said.
Downing Street will hope the announcement will shift focus from the damaging row over Johnson’s senior adviser Dominic Cummings apparent breach of lockdown rules.
The announcement, covering people in England, came after the government’s three-week review of the lockdown, at which ministers were told that the reproduction (R) of the virus had dropped to between 0.7 and 0.9, meaning the number of infections was likely to decline slightly more rapidly.
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The PM has already announced that schools, outdoor markets and car showrooms will begin to reopen in England from Monday.
It came after the first easing of restrictions three weeks ago, at which point people were allowed to meet one other person outdoors, and encouraged to go back to work if they could not do their jobs at home.
Johnson also outlined how the government’s five tests for easing the lockdown had been met.
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He praised the “heroic efforts” of NHS workers and the public, which mean that the first test of protecting the NHS’s ability to cope has been met, with 475 admissions in Covid-19 in England on May 26.
A “sustained and consistent fall in the daily death rate” has been witnessed, meaning the second test has been met, he said.
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The government is satisfied the third test has been met because the rate of infection is “decreasing to manageable levels across the board” with an average of 2,312 new cases being confirmed in the last seven days, he said.
Test four has been met by signing new contracts for protective equipment and boosting testing capacity to 161,214 a day, he said.
On the final test, the PM said that the adjustments have been crafted to avoid risking a second peak that would overwhelm the NHS.
“This package has been carefully designed so we can ease the burdens of the lockdown while expecting to keep that R below one,” he said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--Is Dominic Cummings Worth This Much To Boris Johnson?

Is Dominic Cummings Worth This Much To Boris Johnson?
The government has announced its new test and trace system as well as easing some lockdown restrictions but the only news people are talking about is Dominic Cummings and his lockdown eye test. Boris Johnson has staked a lot on sticking by his adviser, but is the Vote Leave guru worth the price?Joining Arj Singh and Paul Waugh, former Tory special adviser Salma Shah and former Labour adviser Matthew McGregor discuss whether the Cummings affair will damage the party’s image permanently, and explore Keir Starmer’s response to the scandal.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--Watch Live: Boris Johnson Leads Daily Coronavirus Briefing

Watch Live: Boris Johnson Leads Daily Coronavirus Briefing
Boris Johnson chairs the daily coronavirus press conference. The prime minister is expected to announce plans to reopen schools as early as June 1 and next steps for easing current lockdown measures.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--Dominic Cummings: 7 Things You Might Not Know About Boris Johnson's Aide

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For a man who prefers to stay in the background, the PM’s most senior aide is uncomfortably in the spotlight right now – so what better time to illuminate some of the more underreported aspects of his life.
Here are seven things you might not know about Dominic Cummings...
1) The worst nightclub in Europe
In his younger days, Cummings worked on the door taking money at a nightclub in Durham called Klute.
This would be entirely unremarkable were it not for the fact Klute, which was owned by Cummings’ Uncle, was voted the second worst nightclub in Europe in 1996.
Shortly after the poll was compiled, the frontrunner burnt down meaning Klute assumed the dubious title by default.
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A former colleague said that although Cummings “might not have looked like a doorman” he had a look that “suggested it wasn’t worth taking him on”.
After visiting the infamous venue in 2014, a reporter for Vice concluded: “In being the best example of the worst kind of club night, this sweatbox of unpleasant humans, terrible music and unbearable odours probably deserves its place at the top of the podium.”
Cummings is still listed as the sole director of dormant company, Klute Limited.
2) Lord Howick and the Mau Mau Rebellion
Cummings’ grandfather-in-law, Lord Howick, served as governor and commander in chief in Kenya from 1952 to 1959.
It was during this period that what became known as the Mau Mau Rebellion occurred, an uprising of Kenya’s majority ethnic group against the colonial British rulers, in which Lord Howick as governor played an integral role.
Officially figures put the number of rebels killed at 11,000, including 1,090 convicts hanged by the British administration.
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Decades later, the Kenya Human Rights Commission said 90,000 Kenyans were executed, tortured or maimed during the crackdown, and around 160,000 were detained in squalid conditions.
During the entire insurgency, which lasted from 1952 to 1960, 32 white settlers were killed.
Oh, and while we’re on the topic of in-laws, Cummings’ father-in-law Sir Humphry Tyrrell Wakefield once rode the length of Britain on his horse Barack, so-called because it was half black and half white, according to the Fieldsports Channel.
Dominic Cummings’s father-in-law undertakes an epic ride across Britain on Barack (so called because ‘the horse is half black and half white’) with retainer and secretary in tow. https://t.co/NKtuDjMOSi — Sebastian Dobson 🇬🇧🕷🇪🇺 (@SebDobson) May 28, 2020
3) The anti-elitist elitist
Cummings has built a career on a foundation of what the New Statesman described as “pitting the people against the political elite”.
The Vote Leave campaign he helped lead to victory framed Brexit as a victory over an elitist political establishment that had lost touch with the common people.
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So it’s perhaps surprising that Cummings credentials are, well, very, very elite.
He was privately educated at a “grand private school” in Durham before studying at Oxford.
Not to mention the fact he married into a family that lives in an actual castle.
Chillingham Castle Daniel Clements / 500px via Getty Images
4) The cartoon
During an often overlooked segment of Cummings working life, he had “overall responsibility” for the website of The Spectator.
It was during his tenure in 2006 that it was forced into a U-turn after publishing the controversial cartoon of the prophet Muhammad with a bomb that had already sparked riots across the world.
The controversial image appeared on the Spectator Live! section of the website, which linked to stories on other websites. Accompanying the image was a paragraph that read: “European newspapers reprint Muhammad ‘Bomb turban’ cartoon, but as European populations die and Muslim populations grow, and as more and more European students are taught Foucault and ‘literary critical theory’, the balance of power shifts every day; meanwhile Britain’s comic political class cannot even control Islamic terrorists when they finally lock a few up in prison...”
When asked for comment at the time of the incident, Cummings said: “I have zero comment.”
Graffiti protesting against Dominic Cummings is sprayed on a supermarket wall near his north London home, the day after he a gave press conference over allegations he breached coronavirus lockdown restrictions. PA
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5) The career psychopath
In 2014 Cummings had quite a war of words with then-PM David Cameron.
Cummings, while serving as Michael Gove’s senior aide, threw the first barbs, calling Cameron “bumbling” and his chief of staff “a sycophant presiding over a shambolic court” (it should here be noted that Cummings currently holds the equivalent post of chief of staff and is presiding over Boris Johnson’s court).
Responding to the remarks Cameron suggested there was now a path from special adviser to “career psychopath”.
6) The slogan
Cummings is widely credited as coining the phrase “Take Back Control” which became so ubiquitous during the lead up to the EU referendum.
Take back control from whom? The unelected bureaucrats in the EU with an inordinate influence on government policy.
Not a bad for a man who would soon become an unelected bureaucrat with an inordinate influence on government policy.
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7) The farm
Speaking of Brexit, last year it was revealed Cummings was co-owner of a farm that received £235,000 in EU farming subsidies.
The news was particularly embarrassing for Cummings as he had previously described such EU assistance as “absurd” and of being “dreamed up in the 1950s and 1960s” because they “raise prices for the poor to subsidise rich farmers while damaging agriculture in Africa”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--NHS Test And Trace: How Does It Work?

NHS Test And Trace: How Does It Work?

NHS Test And Trace: How Does It Work?
NHS England has launched its test and trace system, hoping for it to be the lynchpin of the next phase of being able to lift lockdown restrictions. The new system will ask those displaying symptoms of coronavirus to isolate with their families and to contact NHS tracers to find out who else may have been exposed as Britain grapples with having one of the worst death ratios in the world.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--BBC Faces Calls To Apologise To Emily Maitlis After Police Rule Dominic Cummings May Have Broken Loc

BBC Faces Calls To Apologise To Emily Maitlis After Police Rule Dominic Cummings May Have Broken Lockdown Rules

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Earlier this week, the corporation ruled that the current affairs show breached its impartiality guidelines after Emily opened Tuesday’s programme by saying that the prime minister’s aide had “broken the rules” amid controversy about his 260-mile lockdown trip to his parents’ house in Durham.
Emily Maitlis on Tuesday's Newsnight BBC
An official investigation by Durham Police has now said Cummings could have been guilty of a “a minor breach” of the coronavirus lockdown rules when he visited Barnard Castle with his wife and son to test his “eyesight”. However, they added that no further action would be taken.
Following the development, many have called for the BBC to retract its statement, which ruled that Emily’s opening monologue “did not meet our standards of due impartiality” adding that staff had “been reminded of the guidelines”.
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Does the BBC have to revise its Maitlis ruling now?! https://t.co/n5J3K8Htkd — Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) May 28, 2020
Maybe an apology from BBC to Emily Maitlis is due, now the police have confirmed Dominic Cummings did breach lockdown rules - validating the report on newsnight? https://t.co/6LIS63qkON — Joseph Elliott (@J_Elliott94) May 28, 2020
@BBCNewsnight .
Following the news that Durham police have concluded that Cummings did break lockdown rules, will you be issuing an apology to Emily Maitlis?https://t.co/AsRQjbapWG — Steve. Esq #FBPE.Rejoin.Dirty stop in. (@Stevemasterson8) May 28, 2020
Oi @BBC - The police report from Durham only further confirms that Emily Maitlis was factually correct, a public apology and begging for her forgiveness is your only course of redemption you absolute boot-lickers. — | ℝ𝕪𝕒𝕟 'Locke-down' (@Loakers) May 28, 2020
@maitlis is vindicated!
Durham Police confirm Dominic Cummings broke the rules.
It is now time for the BBC to do their civic duty and apologise to Emily Maitlis.#SaveLives_SackCummings — Nick Lumb 🇪🇺 🌹🐟 (@inkinick) May 28, 2020
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Now @BBC, can you answer this for me: why was Emily Maitlis reprimanded for saying exactly what is in this report? Should the police be disciplined for breaking impartiality rules? Or are you just afraid of those you support being held accountable for their unjustifiable actions? https://t.co/vNf8CKPD29 — Daniel McCancelled (@don_mc21) May 28, 2020
Is the BBC going to retract the statement and apologise to Emily Maitlis in the light of the Durham Police finding Dominic Cummings DID break the rules? — John Holder (@JohnHolder21) May 28, 2020
In the light of Durham police's statement, will the BBC now explain which part of Emily Maitlis' opening segment breached their impartiality rules? @maitlis #newsnight — pete crowther (@thechelskikid) May 28, 2020
Durham Police have confirmed Dominic Cummings WAS GUILTY! Hope Boris continues to defend and keep him around - let the Tory meltdown continue. Also, the BBC owe Emily Maitlis a massive apology! #DominicCummnings #maitlis #cummingsguilty #BorisTheLiar — Paul (@itspaulactually) May 28, 2020
The BBC’s decision to publicly reprimand Emily and the show sparked criticism, most notably from Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan, who said the corporation was “chucking one of its best journalists under the bus for telling the truth”.
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You’ve got to be kidding me??? BBC chucking one of its best journalists @maitlis under the bus for TELLING THE TRUTH? Utterly disgraceful. 👇 https://t.co/ypFtgS1VKf — Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 27, 2020
His words were echoed by journalist and former Newsnight economics editor Paul Mason, who said the decision made him “sick”.
As an ex-colleague of the Newsnight team this makes me sick. The BBC editorial management is stuffed full of establishment types who turned a blind eye to bias in favour of May and Johnson. Every word Mailtis said was true: truth is the criterion of real journalism. https://t.co/ABKHZLbUTC — Paul Mason (@paulmasonnews) May 27, 2020
The National Union of Journalists also criticised the BBC over its handling of the row, with general secretary Michelle Stanistreet saying: “At a time of national crisis, frank and fearless journalism that scrutinises and holds this Government to account is more necessary than ever.”
Emily did not front Wednesday night’s broadcast as expected, after the BBC published their statement, leading many to wrongly conclude she’d been temporarily stood down.
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She later tweeted that she’d “asked for the night off” and thanked fans for their support.
So grateful to my friend and excellent colleague @katierazz for stepping in this evening . She did so because I asked for the night off -knowing tonight’s prog would be in the most excellent hands 🖐 #newsnight https://t.co/0ZkH2KbzBF — emily m (@maitlis) May 28, 2020
In her introduction to Tuesday’s show, Emily said “Dominic Cummings broke the rules. The country can see that, and it’s shocked the government cannot.
“The longer ministers and the prime minister tell us he worked within them, the more angry the response to this scandal is likely to be.” She added: “He made those who struggled to keep to the rules feel like fools, and has allowed many more to assume they can now flout them.”
Dominic Cummings pictured leaving his north London home on Thursday EMPICS Entertainment


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--377 More Coronavirus Deaths Recorded Across UK In 24 Hours

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The number of people who have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus has risen to 37,837 – an increase of 377 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 Wednesday.
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 213 in 24 hours.
That increase consisted of 185 hospital patients in England, 12 people in Scotland, two people in Northern Ireland and 14 hospital patients and care home residents in Wales. Here’s how to make sense of the various numbers issued each day.
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Meanwhile, the government still isn’t reporting how many people have been tested for coronavirus each day, but 119,587 tests were carried out – some of those representing multiple tests for the same person – in the 24 hours up to 9am.
Some 1,887 of those were positive.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-28--Dominic Cummings May Have Broken Lockdown Rules, Police Investigation Concludes

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Dominic Cummings may have broken the coronavirus lockdown rules when he visited Barnard Castle with his wife and son to test his “eyesight”, an investigation by Durham police has concluded.
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Durham police said on Thursday that Cummings could have been guilty of “a minor breach”, but no further action would be taken.
Boris Johnson’s top adviser has been under intense pressure from Tory MPs to quit after it was revealed he travelled to Durham from London in March.
During his time in the north of England Cummings also drove to the town of Barnard Castle.
He claimed he took the trip to see if he was fit enough to drive before returning to London for work.
Johnson has so far continued to stand by Cummings and repeatedly insisted it is time to “move on”.
In a statement, Durham police said Cummings had not committed an offence by travelling to his father’s premises.
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But it said the drive to Barnard Castle “might have been a minor breach of the regulations that would have warranted police intervention”.
HuffPost UK understands that the force’s use of the word “might” in its statement relates solely to the fact that any determination of a potential breach would be decided by the courts.
Durham police said it viewed this as minor because there was no apparent breach of social distancing.
“Had a Durham Constabulary police officer stopped Mr Cummings driving to or from Barnard Castle, the officer would have spoken to him, and, having established the facts, likely advised Mr Cummings to return to the address in Durham, providing advice on the dangers of travelling during the pandemic crisis,” the statement said.
“Had this advice been accepted by Mr Cummings, no enforcement action would have been taken.”
Its statement that an officer would have “likely advised Mr Cummings to return to the address in Durham” underlined that a potential breach had occurred, one police source said.
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A No.10 spokesman said: “The police have made clear they are taking no action against Mr Cummings over his self-isolation and that going to Durham did not breach the regulations.