thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-17--What Therapists Tell Patients Who Are Anxious About Coronavirus

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It’s hard not to be anxious right now given all of the uncertainty and upheaval the novel coronavirus pandemic has brought to our everyday lives.
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Therapists, many of whom are now holding sessions via phone or video calls instead of in person, are working through these concerns and others with their clients. We asked mental health professionals how they’re approaching the anxiety around Covid-19 with their patients. Hopefully their advice will provide some peace of mind during an overwhelming time.
1. Find new ways to connect with co-workers, friends and family.
With many people now working from home, gyms, schools and restaurants closing, and large gatherings postponed, patients are finding it challenging to connect with the people in their lives. Social distancing is imperative to slow the spread of disease, but you can still comply with government recommendations by staying in touch with loved ones virtually.
“Last night, my family connected across 13 states via Zoom, and I can’t tell you how good it was for my soul,” said Nicole O-Pries, a therapist at Virginia Affirming Counselling. “We have more plans to connect later this week, and I plan to do the same with friends.”
“Connection can lessen anxiety and bring you closer to centre,” she added. “Take the time to process and talk. Create a virtual happy hour — mocktails welcome — or game night. Get creative!”
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When feelings of isolation are creeping in, marriage and family therapist Lynsie Seely of Wellspace SF tells her patients to mentally reframe “social distancing” as more of a “physical distancing.”
“Just because we might be physically isolated, doesn’t mean we have to be socially isolated,” she said. “Hop on the phone, FaceTime, text, Slack, Google Hangout. We fortunately live in a time where there are many options to choose from to stay connected via technology.”
2. Keep your daily routine as consistent as possible.
Mental health professional Allison Hart is encouraging clients to maintain some level of consistency in their new daily routines.
You might need to make some adjustments (e.g., a YouTube yoga video in your living room instead of your usual class), but find something that works and try to stick to it.
“As much as is possible, keep your same wake-up and bed times, brew your favourite drink in the morning, take a soothing shower, do an at-home workout instead and read a chapter in your favourite book at night,” said Hart, a psychological assistant at WellSpace SF. “These actions seem small, but a little peace and comfort can go a long way.”
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3. Focus on what you can control instead of what you can’t.
For patients who are prone to catastrophising, Rockville, Maryland, psychologist Mary Alvord goes through a series of questions that challenge — and hopefully allay — some of their fears.
“What is the worst-case scenario? How likely is the worst-case scenario? What would you tell a friend going through this?” Alvord said. “What can you control and what can you do about that which you can control? I use these as they are reality checks.”
One thing you have power over: your own self-care and health practices, said Gina Delucca, a clinical psychologist at Wellspace SF. That includes getting rest, eating nutritious foods, staying hydrated, moving your body, washing your hands thoroughly and often, and practicing social distancing. As for things you don’t have control over? Work on learning to accept the unknown and the uneasy feelings that often accompany it.
“Know that your feelings are normal and valid, and that it’s OK to feel whatever you’re feeling,” Delucca said. “Remind yourself that what’s going on is temporary and try to find comfort in knowing that we are all going through these tough times of uncertainty together.”
4. Be extra gentle with yourself.
“When the world is being hard on us for good reason, it can be even easier to be hard on ourselves,” Hart said.
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Instead of beating yourself up for not being as productive as you normally might be, practice self-compassion and give yourself a break. You’re doing the best you can in some less-than-ideal circumstances.
“Try to say simple, warm things to yourself every day: ‘Today, I’m giving myself a wider margin of error. I’m going to allow myself to do what I can to go with the flow,’ Or, ‘Saving energy is today’s version of productivity,’” Hart suggested.
Slow down so you can find more appreciation for the simple pleasures in your day-to-day life.
“Be present for the cup of coffee you’re drinking instead of multitasking,” Hart said. “Eat slower and notice how much you enjoy the food you’ve chosen at this moment. When you’re on the phone with a friend, relax on the couch and know that your only job is to connect.”
Martin Dimitrov via Getty Images “Know that your feelings are normal and valid, and that it’s OK to feel whatever you’re feeling,” therapist Gina Delucca said.
5. Cut back on your media exposure.
“While most of us want to stay informed, the constant talk about the virus in the news and on social media can be overwhelming and can feed into our fear and anxiety,” Delucca said.
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That means setting some parameters around how much news you consume and where you’re getting your updates. Lots of false information has circulated on social media, so it’s best to look to reputable sources, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the World Health Organization (WHO) — not your uncle’s fear-mongering Facebook posts.
6. Keep things in perspective.
According to the CDC, “for most people, the immediate risk of becoming seriously ill from the virus that causes Covid-19 is thought to be low.” That said, it’s still important that you take the recommended precautions to protect more vulnerable populations.
“While there is a lot of scary news out there, try your best to take a deep breath and remind yourself that most people who contract Covid-19 will only experience minor symptoms,” Delucca said.
7. Make sure you have enough of any medications you take.
Caring for your mental health is especially crucial now ― and that includes having an adequate supply of your mental health prescriptions. O-Pries recommends her clients reach out to their doctor and/or pharmacy now to obtain 60 days’ worth, if possible, so they’re not left in the lurch should they need to be quarantined.
″We want to make sure that no one is left in a situation without these medications,” she said. “It may take a number of phone calls and persistence, but I can’t stress how important this may be for helping you navigate the weeks ahead.”
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8. Know that a little bit of anxiety isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
Full-on panic in times of distress is unproductive, but a small dose of fear or anxiety can actually be helpful. These emotions, however unpleasant, motivate us to prepare for and protect ourselves against potentially dangerous situations.
“The widespread anxiety in response to Covid-19 is leading us to want to stay informed, avoid certain places and large groups of people to reduce the potential for exposure, be extra vigilant about washing our hands and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and protect our vulnerable populations,” Delucca said.
But when our anxiety levels are too high, it becomes a hindrance.
“When we’re in a panicked state, our thinking can become irrational and our behaviour can become impulsive and emotionally reactive,” Delucca said. “Panic can also cause new problems, such as supply shortages and unnecessary medical care. In addition, panic can also create panic in other people, causing a problematic chain reaction.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-17--How To Help Your Local Businesses, Even If You're Self-Isolating

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Coronavirus is affecting every area of our lives, and that effect is set only to increase as the situation unfolds.
Our health aside, there have already been warnings that our high streets could be one of the biggest casualties of the crisis.
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From small business to small business the approach to coronavirus ranges widely – some have said it’s too early to worry, whilst others are preparing for the worst – but as more aggressive social distancing measures are introduced it looks as though all companies are going to be impacted by Covid-19.
But with less footfall on the streets, many small business owners – and those who are most worried about their high streets faltering amid the crisis – have been coming up with new ways to promote small businesses.
Paper Boat Creative via Getty Images
One of the most widely-shared methods of supporting independents is by buying a gift card – paying into the shop or service as a means of keeping it afloat, even if you can’t get out of the house just yet to make use of it.
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It’s not just shops – many restaurants and entertainment venues like independent cinemas also offer gift cards, which means you can make the most of their services once the threat posed by Covid-19 has passed.
CoronaVirus may keep people away from small indies. If your local indies offer gift vouchers, why not buy one now so they can use your money to help them through what may be a tough economic time. Then, when we‘ve come through the worst, treat yourselves or someone you love. pic.twitter.com/jYZDSCsXqS — Independents' Day UK (@ukindieday) March 13, 2020
I just bought a gift card for my local movie theater, Cobble Hill Cinema. If you can afford to support your local arthouse theater, I hope you'll consider it too to help keep them alive in this very challenging time. #SupportIndieFilm.
RT Please! pic.twitter.com/zVPp1BupsE — Julie #FlattenTheCurve Cohen (@FilmmakerJulie) March 16, 2020
The #IndieKitty💙 application form is now live! Please RT👍
Run a restaurant, bar or foodie business in Bristol, Bath, Brighton & Hove, Cardiff, or Birmingham?
List gift vouchers on our app to help support your business during #covidー19ukhttps://t.co/ZizAz9WYYc pic.twitter.com/8Q7VUVUflp — Wriggle (@wriggle_HQ) March 16, 2020
As a way of enticing customers new and old, some retailers such a bookshops are offering a more personalised shopping service – with a little help from social media.
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With some customers self-isolating and unable to get out and browse, some shops are picking titles based on a person’s recent reading history and offering either kerbside pickup or delivery.
Self isolating in hackney? Tell us the last book you read and enjoyed. We'll send you a payment link and drop you a book through your letterbox this afternoon. 📚🚴♂💊 — Burley Fisher Books (@BurleyFisher) March 13, 2020
Good Morning Bridport, we are open as usual today - we are also offering curbside pick up, local delivery (within 5 miles) and free UK postage until the end of March for those of you self-isolating. Either call 01308 422964 or request books through the website or social media... — The Book Shop (@bookshopbridprt) March 16, 2020
Sam Fisher, owner of Burley Fisher Books in Hackney, put out a call on Twitter on Friday encouraging potential customers to send a message about a book they’d enjoyed in order to get a recommendation (and personal delivery) of a book they could order from the shop.
“I didn’t really do that because of the business at first – it was more something to reach out to people who were self-isolating as a bit of fun,” Sam said.
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Though the team are still processing orders, Sam estimates the shop had about 50 orders from that tweet alone – and they keep coming in.
Despite the government not yet following the lead of countries such as Spain, who have closed down all “non-essential” shops, Sam has taken the decision to shut Burley Fisher for two weeks from Monday evening, in line with similar guidelines about self-isolation.
Because they haven’t been instructed to close down, their insurance won’t cover the loss of takings, but the shop is still open for virtual orders and after the success of the weekend it is hoped this will be enough to keep the business afloat.
“The lack of advice has made it quite difficult to know what to do – we haven’t been told to close but it feels like the sensible thing to do,” Sam explained.
“It’s a really hard time for small businesses. I would encourage people where they can to order from us, from any independent, and to remind their friends to do the same.
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“Also, if you have tickets for a cancelled event at an independent venue and you can afford not to ask for a refund, then I would encourage people not to. That is a huge issue for some small businesses – that money they might be relying on is lost otherwise.”
For some small businesses the challenge lies in still being open for business online, even if they physical front door is shut.
While we’re well-accustomed to shopping online with supermarket giants or Amazon, far fewer of us shop at our local independent stores online.
That could be down to us as consumers, but also a result of the fact that many small retailers don’t sell online, or even have an online presence at all – something digital marketing expert Chris Green is hoping to change in order to save some of our high streets’ smaller businesses.
Green set up helpingsmallbiz.co.uk on Sunday as a direct response to some of the problems caused by coronavirus.
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“The idea came after I heard about some businesses in Spain being told to shut as a result of the virus,” he explained. “With my background in digital marketing I know how important it is for businesses to be able to get in front of their customer, even – and especially – if they’re not able to open.
“I was kind of joking that I didn’t have many practical skills that could help with a crisis like coronavirus, but then I realised that I could set something up to try and help small businesses who are really going to struggle if they have to shut down.”
Green has already received offers of help from around 30 volunteers from a range of digital backgrounds from marketing to web design.
There haven’t been any direct requests for help just yet, but Green is hoping they’ll soon be able to start helping small businesses like independent retailers and those in the service industry.
“It’s as much of a signposting activity as anything else,” Green explained. “There are so many tools out there to help small businesses get out there – the issue is that there are so many it can be a bit daunting for business owners who might never have had any kind of online presence before.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-17--Penguins Roam Free Around Chicago Aquarium Closed For Coronavirus

Penguins Roam Free Around Chicago Aquarium Closed For Coronavirus
Watch this group of rockhopper penguins take a look outside of their enclosure, to explore the rest of the aquarium they live in. The adorable field trip took place at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago after the place closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-17--The Devastating Effect Coronavirus Is Having On The Entertainment Industry

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The coronavirus pandemic continues to rock the entertainment industry, causing the cancellation of major events and leaving the future of others in doubt.
Film, television and music have all been hugely affected, with experts warning the cost of the crisis will total billions of pounds.
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Here is how the coronavirus has affected the entertainment industry, so far...
TV
Baftas
Alecsandra Raluca Dragoi/BAFTA/Shutterstock
This year’s TV Baftas have been postponed until later in the year, as a result of the pandemic.
A rep for Bafta said: “Following the latest government advice on coronavirus (Covid-19), we regret to announce that the British Academy Television Craft Awards and Virgin Media British Academy Television Awards, originally scheduled for 26 April and 17 May respectively, will be postponed until later in the year.”
The nominations for this year’s TV Baftas were due to be revealed on 26 March, but these will also be delayed “until closer to the ceremony”.
Saturday Night Takeaway
ITV
Ant and Dec hosted the final live episode in the studio – the first to feature no audience – on 21 March.
The duo are finishing off the series by presenting from their respective living rooms, as they showcase classic Takeaway moments.
The series finale in Florida has also been scrapped due to travel restrictions.
BBC studio audiences
The BBC has confirmed that none of its shows will feature a studio audience “for the foreseeable future”.
“Following government advice all our studio audience shows are suspended for the foreseeable future,” they said in a statement. “Please do not attend if you have a ticket to one of our shows. We will not be accepting new ticket applications for the time being.”
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The Graham Norton Show
PA
The team is still “standing by to make the new series”, which is due to return on 10 April at the new time of 9pm.
Bosses have insisted it will still have the usual famous mix of star guests, jokes and stories, including the notorious Red Chair, which will be “relocated to the comfort of your own armchair at home”.
Question Time
The BBC’s current affairs panel discussion show will still go ahead, minus the all-important audience. Instead, questions will be taken via social media and it will air at the new time of 8pm on Thursdays.
Question Time will go ahead this week without our studio audience.
We’ll take your questions and comments for our panel via social media here at #bbcqt /1 pic.twitter.com/7vYjBYASoj — BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) March 17, 2020
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EastEnders
Filming on EastEnders, which is filmed eight weeks in advance, has been suspended.
Other BBC dramas Casualty, Doctors, Holby City, Pobol y Cwm and River City have also been paused.
News: “In light of the spread of Covid-19, filming on #EastEnders will be postponed until further notice... We have also taken the decision to reduce the amount of episodes we broadcast each week to two.”
Episodes will now air on Mondays, 8pm and Tuesdays, 7.30pm. pic.twitter.com/Ea9rodkqfh — BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) March 18, 2020
EastEnders will now only air twice a week to ensure it remains on air for as long as possible, with new episodes on Mondays at 8pm and Tuesdays at 7.30pm.
Coronation Street and Emmerdale
ITV/Shutterstock
Coronation Street and Emmerdale followed EastEnders’ lead and suspended production on their soaps a few days after their BBC rival.
With effect from Monday 30 March, Coronation Street’s scheduling pattern will change to ensure the soap has enough new episodes to see it through to early summer, airing Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7.30pm.
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*Status Update: Please see below for the latest to the soaps. pic.twitter.com/muGrOA4vyo — Coronation Street (@itvcorrie) March 22, 2020
It was originally announced Emmerdale would cut its episodes to five a week, but it has now been confirmed only three episodes will air from 30 March, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7pm.
Hollyoaks
The Channel 4 soap has also temporarily suspended filming, but it has confirmed editorial work would continue, with script writers working from home on future episodes.
The number of episodes each week will reduce from five to three, airing from Monday to Wednesday at 6.30pm.
Dear #Hollyoaks viewers. It is with a heavy heart that we have made the decision to pause filming of Hollyoaks. pic.twitter.com/OUR9lpJkMA — Hollyoaks (@Hollyoaks) March 22, 2020
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A spokesperson added: “To make sure we stay on air every week night, fans can look forward to extra special episodes every Thursday and Friday on E4, as we begin a brand new series of Hollyoaks Favourites.
“Introduced by Kieron Richardson and Jorgie Porter, this series will give viewers a chance to revisit some of our biggest episodes, from weddings, bust-ups, heartbreaks and some of our biggest and best stunts.”
Loose Women
S Meddle/ITV/Shutterstock
While the ITV daytime show initially continued to broadcast amid the outbreak, choosing to remove its studio audience, the decision has been made to take it off the air altogether.
It has now been replaced by repeat episodes of the lunchtime chat show.
ITV explained the cuts to its daytime programming were made to “minimise the number of staff travelling in and out of our studios and working together on shift at any one time”, as it aims to keep Good Morning Britain and This Morning on air for as long as possible.
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Lorraine
As part of ITV’s reduction of its daytime output, Lorraine will also cease broadcasting.
Instead, presenter Lorraine Kelly will join Piers Morgan for an extended edition of Good Morning Britain from 9-10am.
ITV Daytime has taken the decision to stop broadcasting Lorraine from Monday 23 March to minimise the number of staff travelling in and out of our studios. Lorraine will instead join @piersmorgan in the @gmb studio from 9-10am. Stay safe x
Statement: https://t.co/4U7ZN4650K pic.twitter.com/ZUH2MPRqaK — Lorraine (@lorraine) March 22, 2020
Sunday Brunch
Sunday Bruch was pulled from the air at the last minute on 22 March, due to coronavirus fears.
We are sad to say that Sunday Brunch will not be on this morning as billed. We put the health and safety of our team above all else and cannot at this time record the show without risk to our presenters and crew. We very much hope to be back live on Sundays soon. — Sunday Brunch (@SundayBrunchC4) March 22, 2020
The show returned the following week with presenters Simon Rimmer and Tim Lovejoy presenting from their respective homes.
Line Of Duty
A BBC spokesman confirmed filming had also been postponed on the sixth series of the police drama, which began filming in Northern Ireland last month.
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In light of the spread of Covid-19, after much consideration, @worldprods are suspending filming of #LineofDuty S6 with the support of the BBC.
We will keep you updated with further developments in due course. Thank you. — Line of Duty (@Line_of_duty) March 16, 2020
Peaky Blinders
Filming for series six of the crime drama has been postponed, according to the programme’s Twitter account.
An announcement on Peaky Blinders Season 6. pic.twitter.com/g1vEnpi8bU — Peaky Blinders (@ThePeakyBlinder) March 16, 2020
The Voice UK
The live semi-final and live final of this year’s competition were due to take place on 28 March and 4 April, but ITV has confirmed they have now been postponed until later in the year.
Britain’s Got Talent
ITV
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The new series of Britain’s Got Talent will still go ahead in April, kicking off with the pre-recorded auditions. However, the live shows have been postponed until later in the year.
A spokesperson for the show said: “In light of the latest government health guidelines and in line with our priority of safeguarding the well-being of everyone involved in our programmes, production of the live shows cannot go ahead as planned. The live finals will therefore be broadcast later in the year.”
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK
Netflix
Filming on the second series of Drag Race UK had been underway at Pinewood Studios, ahead of its debut on BBC Three later this year.
However, a spokesperson for the show confirmed that it is “temporarily pausing filming both in consultation with and supported by the BBC”.
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Celebrity Juice
Filming on the current series was halted following the government’s latest advice, even though the audience had arrived at the studio.
Neighbours and Home & Away
Channel 5
Channel 5 has cut the number of episodes it will air of its Australian soaps from five to two per week, after production was halted on both shows Down Under.
While it has been reported filming has since resumed, a C5 spokesperson said: “As a result of Covid-19, we have taken the decision to reduce the number of episodes for Neighbours and Home and Away from five to two per week for both soaps, so that our viewers can continue to enjoy them for as long as possible.
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“Both programmes will air on Monday and Fridays, effective from Monday 30th March.”
British Soap Awards
It has been announced that the British Soap Awards have been cancelled altogether for 2020, with the event originally planned to take place in May.
A spokesperson said: “The awards ceremony will return in 2021.
“In the meantime, a brand new 60″ programme called The British Soap Awards Celebrates 21 Years will air this Spring, narrated by Phillip Schofield.”
Saturday Night Live
The long-running US sketch show was supposed to return from a break on 28 March, but production will not resume “until further notice”.
Jimmy Fallon, Seth Myers, James Corden and Stephen Colbert
All of the big late night talk shows have been put on a production break. James Corden told viewers they had “explored every option” to try and put a show on for you but felt “the safest thing to do is to stop for a moment and take advice further down the line”.
After much deliberation we’ve decided to suspend The Late Late Show for the time being.We really explored every option to try and put a show on for you,but right now feel the safest thing to do is to stop for a moment and take advice further down the line. Stay safe out there x x — James Corden (@JKCorden) March 13, 2020
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The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The host said she was “already bored” following the news that her daytime show had been paused. She certainly hasn’t lost her sense of humour though, joking that she and her wife Portia de Rossi have “watched every single thing on Netflix, and are just about done reading the entire internet.”
Hey there. Me again. So, after some more thought, we have decided to suspend production completely until March 30th. We just want to take every precaution to ensure that we do our part to keep everyone healthy. I love you guys, and can’t wait to come back. I’m already bored. — Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 13, 2020
Just checking in.
Portia and I have watched every single thing on Netflix, and are just about done reading the entire internet.
We played "Heads Up!" for 16 hours.
Obviously, I won.
Today, I’m gonna do my show for her and pretend to interview @Cher.
Anyway what are you all doing? — Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 16, 2020
Stranger Things
From Russia with love… pic.twitter.com/ZWEMgy63Et — Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) February 14, 2020
Netflix has stopped production on season four. It is part of the streaming giant’s move to shut down all scripted TV and film production in the US and Canada for at least two weeks.
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Friends
NBC via Getty Images
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the cast of Friends had been due to come together to film the upcoming unscripted reunion on 23 March.
However, the outlet reports that filming has now been pushed back until May at the earliest.
Killing Eve
BBC
The series had originally been scheduled to begin in the US on 26 April, but this date was brought forward two weeks, amid the pandemic.
“We know how adored this series is and we know how keen people are for great content right now,” said Sarah Barnett, president of AMC Networks Entertainment Group and AMC Studios, who make the show.
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For the first time in the show’s history, new episodes will air in the UK just hours after they debut on BBC America. Until now, British fans had to wait until an entire series finished airing in the US until episodes hit the BBC iPlayer.
However, the BBC has confirmed series three will arrive here on 13 April 2020, with new episodes available every Monday from 6am. They will then air regularly on BBC One each Sunday night from 19 April.
Lord Of The Rings
Amazon’s reported $1billion series was shooting in New Zealand but production has been suspended with Amazon sending home around 800 cast and crew from the production’s West Auckland shoot. The cast have been told “there are no clear answers when we will resume”.
Pose
Production has been paused on the FX show, along with Empire and American Crime Story: Impeachment.
The Walking Dead
Production has been delayed, along with spin-off Fear The Walking Dead. The series 10 finale will now air later in the year than originally planned.
Riverdale
Production was suspended due to a coronavirus scare.
FILM
No Time To Die
The latest Bond film had its release postponed from April to November. The film will now hit UK cinemas on 12 November, and will arrive in the US just shy of two weeks later.
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MGM, Universal and Bond producers, Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, announced today that after careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace, the release of NO TIME TO DIE will be postponed until November 2020. pic.twitter.com/a9h1RP5OKd — James Bond (@007) March 4, 2020
Wonder Woman 1984
Originally slated for release in June, the Wonder Woman sequel will now hit cinemas in August instead.
Lead actor Gal Gadot said: “In these dark and scary times, I am looking forward to a brighter future ahead. Where we can share the power of cinema together again.”
Still, at least we have her cover of Imagine to entertain us in the meantime...
Mulan
Liu Yifei Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP
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Disney has delayed the release of its blockbuster remake of the animated feature. The movie’s world premiere still took place on 9 March in Hollywood, complete with a red carpet and many of its stars, including Liu Yifei, who plays Mulan.
Black Widow
The new Marvel film focussing on Scarlett Johansson’s character had been slated for release at the beginning of May, but Disney has now made the decision to postpone this until later in the year.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, The Personal History Of David Copperfield and The Woman In The Window have also been removed from their release calendar.
Peter Rabbit 2
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Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, which features the voices of James Corden and Margot Robbie, was due in UK cinemas on 27 March, and the US a week later. But with uncertainty over whether fans will avoid cinemas, that has now been put back to 7 August.
The Secret Garden
The Colin Firth and Julie Walters remake has seen its release postponed from April 3 to August 14.
In The Heights
The big-screen adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical was due for release in June, but its release has been delayed indefinitely.
The Batman
Filming has been suspended for two weeks with Warner Bros insisting it will “continue to monitor the situation closely”.
Uncharted
Sony halted production on the video game adaptation for six weeks. The film, starring Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg and Antonio Banderas, had been in pre-production in Berlin.
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Untitled Elvis Presley biopic
The Baz Luhrmann production is on hold after Tom Hanks, who will play the singer’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, tested positive for Covid-19 along with his wife Rita Wilson. Both have since been discharged from hospital.
Mission: Impossible 7
Tom Cruise Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP
The latest release in the hit franchise had been set to begin filming in Venice but has been put on hold after Italy became one of the countries hardest hit by the virus.
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A statement from studio Paramount said: “Out of an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of our cast and crew, and efforts of the local Venetian government to halt public gatherings in response to the threat of coronavirus, we are altering the production plan for our three week shoot in Venice, the scheduled first leg of an extensive production for ‘Mission: Impossible 7’.
Cinderella
Camila Cabello will play the lead role in a Cinderella musical but Sony said production at the UK’s Pinewood Studios had been suspended for two weeks.
Fantastic Beasts 3
Eddie Redmayne Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP
Warner Bros has suspended production on Harry Potter spin-off with no date so far set for a return. The series is one of WB’s top franchises, with the previous two films grossing more than $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office.
Matrix 4
Production on was under way in Berlin, but is another high-profile casualty of the virus.
MUSIC
Glastonbury
Glastonbury have now confirmed that this year’s festival - the event’s 50th anniversary - will not go ahead.
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In a statement, organisers said: “We are so sorry to announce this but Glastonbury 2020 will have to be cancelled and this will be an enforced fallow year for the festival.
“Clearly this was not a course of action we hoped to take for our 50th anniversary event, but following the new government measures announced this week – and in times of such unprecedented uncertainty – this is now our only viable option.”
We are so sorry to announce this, but we are going to have to cancel Glastonbury 2020. Tickets for this year will roll over to next year. Full statement below and on our website. Michael & Emily pic.twitter.com/ox8kcQ0HoB — Glastonbury Festival (@glastonbury) March 18, 2020
They continued: “We very much hope that the situation in the UK will have improved enormously by the end of June.
“But even as it is, we are no longer able to spend the next three months with thousands of crew here on he farm, helping us with the enormous job of building the infrastructure and attractions needed to welcome more than 200,000 people to a temporary city in these fields.”
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Around 135,000 tickets had already been sold for the five-day event which was due to take place from 24–28 June.
Those who have tickets for this year’s festival are invited to “roll their £50 deposit over to next year, and guarantee the opportunity to buy a ticket for Glastonbury 2021”.
Refunds will also be optional in the coming days to those who would prefer their deposit back.
Coachella
The music festival has been pushed back from its original April date to October. Festival organisers say Coachella will now take place over two weekends in autumn, 9-11 and 16-18 Oct. 16-18. Country music festival Stagecoach suffered the same fate.
Eurovision
Eurovision organisers announced that this year’s song contest has been cancelled, following the coronavirus outbreak.
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The televised event – which sees entrants representing 41 different countries from around Europe and beyond competing in the same venue – had been due to take place in Rotterdam on 16 May, with semi-finals in the days before.
However, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has now confirmed that the event will not be going ahead, in a bid to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
An official statement from the European Broadcasting Union on the #Eurovision Song Contest 2020. pic.twitter.com/b3h7akxvpF — Eurovision Song Contest (@Eurovision) March 18, 2020
It’s since been revealed that one-off event Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light will take place on 16 May, the same night that the Eurovision final had scheduled for.
The live event will feature all of the artists who had been due to compete this year, performing past Eurovision songs in their own countries “with unifying lyrics appropriate for the current situation we find ourselves in”.
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Past performers will also be returning to perform Eurovision classics “in iconic European locations”.
BBC has also been planning a one-off special titled Eurovision: Come Together on the night of the final, hosted by commentator Graham Norton and featuring “classic performances” and interviews, including with the UK’s 2020 act, James Newman.
Capital Summer Time Ball
Capital’s annual summer concert had been due to take place on 6 June, but it has now been cancelled.
Tickets for the event hadn’t yet gone on sale, and the artists performing also had not been announced.
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Harry Styles
The former One Direction singer has pushed the European and UK leg of his world tour back until 2021.
“Anyone who knows me, knows that performing has always been my favorite part of working in music,” he explained. “However, during times like these, the safety and protection of touring crew, fans, and everyone else around the world is an immediate priority.”
For the safety of yourself and others, please self-isolate. We’re all in this together.
I can’t wait to see you out on the road as soon as it’s safe to do so. Until then, treat people with kindness.
H — Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) March 25, 2020
Lady Gaga
As a result of the outbreak, Gaga made the decision to delay the release of her sixth album Chromatica, claiming it “doesn’t feel right” to release an album with “all that is going on during this global pandemic”.
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Although she’s yet to offer a new release date, she also insisted she planned to go ahead with her accompanying tour, which is set to launch over the summer.
Dua Lipa
Interestingly, Dua Lipa decided to bring her album release forward a week amid the pandemic, saying: “I hope it brings you some happiness, and I hope it makes you smile, and I hope it makes you dance. I hope I make you proud.”
Billie Eilish
The teen pop sensation has been forced to postpone a string of US tour dates.
Camila Cabello
The chart-topping singer has delayed her upcoming tour, which was due to begin in May.
“I’m truly heartbroken to say that we’ve decided we need to postpone the tour… we can’t start rehearsals without putting people at risk and with so much up in the air with no real and definitive end in sight, I feel this is the responsible thing to do,” she said.
Guns N’ Roses
The US rockers have postponed their forthcoming South American tour.
Sir Elton John
The music legend has pulled more than a dozen concerts in Canada and the US, which had been set to take place in March, April and July as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. The concerts are being postponed until a later date.
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The Who
The legendary rockers have postponed their tour.
Foo Fighters
The US band have postponed their Van Tour 2020, frontman Dave Grohl said. Some dates have already been rescheduled.
Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls’ UK and Ireland tour has been postponed – but the group has already announced rescheduled dates, with the girls returning to the stage in October.
Alanis Morissette
The Canadian-American singer will reschedule tour dates in Japan, Manila, Australia and New Zealand.
The Jonas Brothers
The sibling band have cancelled their planned April residency in Las Vegas. “We love you guys and we are praying for everyone’s safety and wellness. We’ll see you soon,” the band said in a statement.
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We love you guys and we are praying for everyone’s safety and wellness. We’ll see you soon ❤ pic.twitter.com/4qxqdXSl1f — Jonas Brothers (@jonasbrothers) March 13, 2020
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson, who was also scheduled to begin her Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood on 1 April, postponed the launch of her Invincible shows until July due to the pandemic. The singer also announced her US daytime show had shut down production indefinitely “out of concern and care for everyone’s safety.”
Thom Yorke
The Radiohead frontman postponed the US leg of his Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes Tour. He tweeted: “Ticket holders, please standby for information on a new routing for later this year. Apologies for the inconvenience.”
Celine Dion
The singer has pushed back the March and April dates of the North American leg of her Courage tour. New dates are yet to be announced.
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Radio 1’s Big Weekend
Organisers have cancelled this year’s event. The annual music festival, which had Biffy Clyro, Harry Styles and Camila Cabello on the line-up, was due to take place in Dundee from Friday May 22 to Sunday May 24.
“It is important that we prioritise the health and safety of all those involved,” Radio 1 said in a statement.
An update on #BigWeekend Dundee 2020 pic.twitter.com/o0FO4YKAfk — BBC Radio 1 (@BBCR1) March 13, 2020
Isle Of Wight
The Isle Of Wight festival, which was due to take place on 11-14 June with Lionel Richie, Lewis Capaldi, Snow Patrol, The Chemical Brothers and Duran Duran headlining, has been cancelled.
Organisers said in a statement that the event would return in 2021, adding: “This decision hasn’t been taken lightly and we have tried our hardest to make it work, but it was unavoidable given the current status.”
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THEATRES AND CINEMAS
Theatres in the West End and around the UK closed from the evening of 16 March.
The Society Of London Theatre (SOLT) – which represents hundreds of theatres in the capital including the National Theatre, London Palladium and London Coliseum – and UK Theatre said the decision was “not taken lightly”.
We regret to announce that from this evening SOLT and UK Theatre venues have closed in light of official government advice. Your box office/retailer from whom you bought your tickets will be in contact with regards to refunds and exchanges. Read more: https://t.co/k4ENR118JU pic.twitter.com/cxsLHIMKW5 — Official London Theatre (@london_theatre) March 16, 2020
The Royal Shakespeare Company also announced its three theatres would close following the Government’s advice to stop all “non-essential contact”.
The Royal Opera House said it would close the building to the public and cancel all performances in Covent Garden with immediate effect.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have taken the decision with a heavy heart to close the building to the public and cancel all performances at the Royal Opera House with immediate effect
We will be in contact with all ticket buyers in due coursehttps://t.co/JxcnP3MLzs — Royal Opera House (@RoyalOperaHouse) March 16, 2020
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This year’s Olivier Awards, which recognise excellence in professional theatre in London, have been cancelled.
It's with deep regret that we have to announce the cancellation of the Olivier Awards 2020 with Mastercard. We're working through plans on how to properly honour & announce this year’s winners, & will release further info soon 💛#OlivierAwards
Read more: https://t.co/LogGZd0O6q pic.twitter.com/rVNczcoIrJ — Olivier Awards (@OlivierAwards) March 17, 2020
Odeon Cinemas also closed all its cinemas in the UK, saying in a statement: “Following Government guidelines Odeon cinemas are closed until further notice.”
An important message from ODEON pic.twitter.com/tlgnL5FS84 — ODEON (@ODEONCinemas) March 17, 2020
Cineworld and Picturehouse shut all UK outlets starting from 18 March while outlets in Ireland will closed on 17 March.
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It’s with great sadness, that Picturehouse is today announcing the closure of all it's cinemas across the UK starting from tomorrow, until further notice. This decision was made in the light of the current COVID-19 outbreak and recent UK government advice. https://t.co/S0ANQjEfjL pic.twitter.com/9ukCUyH6Zv — Team Picturehouse (@picturehouses) March 17, 2020
Cineworld Group chief executive Mooky Greidinger said: “At Cineworld and Picturehouse we are committed to providing safe and healthy environments for our employees and guests and have therefore made the difficult decision to close our cinemas in UK and Ireland until further notice.
“We deeply value our cinema-loving customers and have no doubt we will be serving everyone again as soon as possible with a full slate of Hollywood blockbusters and the best of independent films and content.”
All 91 of the UK’s Vue cinemas closed from Tuesday 17 March until further notice.
Founder and chief executive Tim Richards, said: “As you would expect, we are also doing our part by putting employment policies in place so that our staff are protected and are not penalised financially.
“We want to wish all our customers and employees well during these difficult times. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to welcoming you back at one of our cinemas soon.”
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OTHER EVENTS
Edinburgh Festival
It has been announced that Edinburgh’s series of annual festivals have been cancelled as a result of the pandemic.
Organisers said: “For the first time in over 70 years, the five festivals that transform Edinburgh into the world’s leading cultural destination every August are not going ahead this year due to concerns around the Covid-19 pandemic. Edinburgh Art Festival, The Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh International Festival and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo are not happening as planned in 2020.”
The Met Gala
Anna Wintour attends Met Gala. Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
One of the biggest dates in the fashion diary each year, has been postponed “indefinitely”, host Anna Wintour said. In a statement posted on the Vogue website, the magazine editor called the decision “unavoidable and responsible,” and promised a preview of this year’s planned exhibition in the May issue of Vogue.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-17--Homeless People Can't Self-Isolate And May Have To Stay On The Streets During Covid-19 Outbreak

Coronavirus has already changed the way we work, the way we shop and the way we live – and those adaptations are making their way into every corner of our communities.
While a proportion of the working population are complaining about the struggles of self-isolation and working from home, some of society’s most vulnerable people have been left wondering how they’ll cope at all with nowhere to retreat to.
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The government has announced £3.2 million of emergency funding to help rough sleepers self-isolate, but with more than 300,000 people in the UK are thought to be homeless, for many of these people hand-washing and social distancing is far more complicated than heading to the bathroom sink or cancelling dinner plans.
One rough sleeper, in his 40s and living in London, told HuffPost UK: “If I get sick, I don’t know what to do.
“I live on the street and I need somewhere every day to get some free food. I can’t self-isolate – I need all the time to be in public places. There is no information from the government about what to do.”
One of his major concerns, he explained, was that he could possibly expose other people to the virus as a result of being forced to spend his time in public places.
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“I spend a lot of time in the library if it’s open, out on the streets, and in public places because there is nowhere else to be inside if I don’t have a place to live.
“I don’t have any other options – I cannot self-isolate, I cannot stay inside.”
Adrian, another member of the homeless population and in his 50s, said he believed he’d be OK if he caught the virus, but was worried for the elderly.
“It’s the people with poor immunity and underlying conditions, they’ll be more susceptible unfortunately and they’re the ones we need to be more careful of,” he said.
“Usually it’s the older people who will be affected, but a lot of the over-70s are actually carers for people over the age of 90 so if they become isolated, who’s going to look after the more elderly people?
“There are a number of people I come here [to the soup kitchen] with who are over 70 and are quite frail – those are the people we’ve got to look out for. It’s probably better for a couple of months if they don’t go to places with big crowds where they could catch and infection.”
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HuffPost UK reported last week that homeless charities were in desperate need of guidance on how they should react to the unfolding crisis. Until Monday, the government had issued no specific advice for homeless people about how to manage the risks around coronavirus, or what to do if they fell ill.
The advice that was eventually released – informing day centres and rough sleepers’ hostels that visitors should self-isolate if they become unwell – was quickly criticised by leading homelessness charity Crisis as “inadequate”.
Its chief executive Jon Sparkes said: “It fails to set out a plan for how people experiencing homelessness can self-isolate in this outbreak.
“We need emergency action to protect people in this very vulnerable situation – this must include testing and access to housing. Let’s not forget that the average age of death of someone who is homeless is 45, substantially lower than the general population. Given the obvious vulnerability, the only answer can be to provide housing that allows people to self-isolate.”
The guidance from Whitehall states that shelters can remain open unless ordered to shut by Public Health England or the government, but should “frequently clean and disinfect regularly touched objects and surfaces”.
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If a resident falls ill they should remain inside their room and “minimise visiting shared spaces such as kitchens, bathrooms and sitting areas as much as possible”. If they display symptoms at a day centre, the government advice states, they should either be moved to a separate room or to another area at least two metres from other people.
Crisis are calling on more aggressive emergency measures to be brought in to help the homeless, including improved access to healthcare and assistance from the government to secure hotel style accommodation for rough sleepers.
Similar measures have started to be introduced in other virus-hit cities around the world. State government in California, which is home to around 100,000 homeless people, has already been working to secure hotel rooms and mobile vehicle accommodation for rough sleepers, it was reported on Sunday.
Many of the UK’s shelters and day centres are at breaking point; scared to stay open because of the risk of an infection spreading, and scared to close for fears of what could happen if there was no help out there for the homeless.
Andrew Mcleay, manager at Ealing Soup Kitchen, said the number of volunteers that helped feed some 400 homeless visitors each week had fallen rapidly as a result of self-isolation, leaving him unsure about the future of the service, which is a lifeline to many.
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“We’re seeing quite a number of volunteers across all sites that are not attending soup kitchen because they’re worried about either giving it to the guests,” Mcleay explained.
“It means that we are not as effective as we used to be, so we can’t put into place a lot of the things we would like to, such as extra checks to make sure that everybody is safe.
“The issue is, if we close, who else is going to look after them? Who else was going to give them a shower, who else was going to get them haircuts? Who else is going to get them the food, and the clothes, and everything else they need?”
The team of more than 200 volunteers at Ealing Soup Kitchen tends to serve the homeless at the premises themselves but, as Mcleay explained, there could be a switch to an outreach approach with volunteers out on the streets.
It might seem like a neat solution, but actually finding rough sleepers in an area like Ealing is “virtually impossible”, Mcleay said.
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“It’s much harder to find people on the street in Ealing than it is in central London, because in the centre there are high levels of traffic, which in some way provides a level of safety because there’s always people around.
“A homeless person might get assaulted, but it’ll be more visible. Whereas in Ealing people wouldn’t necessarily risk the quieter streets so they go into parks which get locked up at night, so actually finding them is virtually impossible and it just presents another huge challenge.”
Mcleay has already experienced several instances where he’s had to take a guest at the soup kitchen aside because they were displaying symptoms of the virus – but there was no way of knowing if it was Covid-19 because of a lack of testing.
In those cases, he explained, he’s stuck between being unable to refer someone to an overnight shelter because they could pose a risk to other residents and leaving them out on the streets where their condition could worsen. In those cases, the only thing he has been able to do is try to call 111, and direct them to A&E as a very last resort.
“I feel completely unprepared – I think most people do,” he said. “Even the government to an extent really, because a lot of it is guesswork. We don’t actually know what we’re dealing with here.
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“We kind of know some of the symptoms, but even then we don’t seem to have any kind of permanent solutions besides isolation.
“My main priority right now is trying to make sure that we do the right thing for the homeless, and to try and get as much done as we can so that we don’t leave them in too much of a rut.
“My concern is if we shut down now, we don’t know if it’s going to last for weeks or months and I don’t know how long I can afford to shut the soup kitchen, because a lot of these guys really do need it. It’s not a question of want – they actually need it.
“One death on the streets is a tragedy. Closing down the kitchen might seem like a sensible option, but it’s certainly not a practical one.”
Another man, in his 70s and a regular visitor to the soup kitchen, said the situation could be improved if there were drop-in centres where homeless people could get more advice about coronavirus. “The only advice we’ve had is just about washing hands and isolating,” he said.
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“A lot of homeless are really isolated and people won’t be able to find anybody – they won’t know where to go or what to do, and they’ve got no doctors.”
Linda, now in her 60s, said she was concerned about the impact of the virus because she has problems breathing.
“It’s bad now, but I’ve been told that in the next few months it’s going to get worse,” she said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-17--Greta Thunberg's Climate Mission Helped End Her Torment, Reveals Powerful New Memoir

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A moving new memoir about spitfire Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg and her family painfully delves into a troubled past when she stopped speaking and eating.
When Thunberg was 11 and in fifth grade, she “cried at night when she should have been sleeping. She cried on her way to school. She cried in her classes,” her mother, Malena Ernman, writes in “Our House Is on Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis.”
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“We tried our best, but nothing helped. She was slowly disappearing into some kind of darkness, and little by little, bit by bit, she seemed to stop functioning,” according to excerpts of the book available on Amazon.
“She stopped playing the piano. She stopped laughing. She stopped talking .... She stopped eating.”
Thunberg, who soon appeared to be on the brink of starvation, was later diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder. But part of the trigger for her mental health crisis that year — as well as the drive for her eventual recovery — was a video about climate change she saw at school, reports The Washington Post.
She and her family view her autism as both a challenge and a clarifying strength in her mission against climate change. “Neuropsychiatric functional impairments” can be a “superpower, that out-of-the-box thinking you so often hear performers, artists and celebrities talk about,” Ernman writes, reported the Times of London. “Greta has a diagnosis. It doesn’t rule out the fact that she’s right and the rest of us have got it all wrong.”
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When Greta first found out about climate change, she recalls, “I remember thinking it couldn’t be true. Because if it were, we wouldn’t be talking about anything else.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-17--British Government Tells Citizens To Avoid All Non-Essential Travel Globally

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Dominic Raab has announced the British government is advising all UK citizens against “non-essential travel globally” amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The foreign secretary revealed the measure in the Commons on Tuesday afternoon and said it would remain in place for an “initial period” of 30-days.
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The government is not yet advising British people to immediately return to the UK if they are overseas.
But the Foreign Office (FCO) said people should keep in mind that flights may be cancelled at short notice or other travel restrictions may be put in place by foreign governments.
Meanwhile, the leaders of European Union nations have agreed to institute a travel ban that prohibits most foreigners from entering the bloc for 30 days to discourage the spread of coronavirus.
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“UK travellers abroad now face widespread international border restrictions and lockdowns in various countries,” Raab said.
“This decision has been taken based on the domestic measures introduced in the UK alongside the changes to border and a range of other restrictions which are now being taken right around the world.
“The speed and the range of those measures across other countries is unprecedented, some of those decisions are being made without notice.”
He added: “The FCO will always consider the safety and the security of British nationals so with immediate effect I’ve taken the decision to advise British nationals against non-essential travel globally for an initial period of 30 days and of course subject to ongoing review.”
It came as a team of scientists said the UK had “no time to lose” in changing tactics in order to prevent thousands of deaths and the NHS being overwhelmed,
The Imperial College Covid-19 response team – which is one of several teams advising ministers – published a paper showing that 250,000 people could die if efforts were focused only on delaying and slowing down the spread of Covid-19.
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The paper analysed the most up-to-date data from Italy and the UK and concluded that the only “viable strategy” was a Chinese-style policy of “suppression” of the virus, elements of which have now been adopted in the UK.
A World Health Organisation (WHO) special envoy on coronavirus welcomed the government’s decision to introduce tougher measures. Dr David Nabarro told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme that previous thinking was “perfectly valid, however as it became clear how quickly the virus has been advancing in other European countries a shift in position was absolutely right”.
Later today, chancellor Rishi Sunak will set out a new package of support for businesses hit by the outbreak less than a week after announcing £12bn of emergency funding in the Budget.
The government will also lay out emergency legislation expected to include powers for police to detain people to stop them spreading the virus and allowing hospitals to send patients home to free up beds.
UK airports have warned they will shut down “within weeks” without government intervention due to the coronavirus.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-17--Who Is Most Vulnerable To Coronavirus? Here’s What You Need To Know

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As the government ramps up UK social-distancing measures, some people have been left scratching their heads over whether they – or family members – fall into the category that requires particularly stringent measures right now.
On Monday evening, prime minister Boris Johnson told the nation that pregnant women are now also considered at increased risk of severe illness – a U-turn on previous guidance which suggested pregnant women did not appear to be more susceptible to the consequences of Covid-19 than the general population.
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While we’ve known for some time that those aged 70 and over, and those with underlying health conditions, are more vulnerable to the disease than the rest of the population, not much has been said about who specifically falls into this category.
For example, do you need to adopt stricter measures if you have asthma? What about people with MS or Parkinson’s? Hopefully this will help clear things up.
Who is considered at increased risk?
• People aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions)
• People under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (ie. anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds):
– chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis
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– chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
– chronic kidney disease
– chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis
– chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy
– diabetes
– problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed
– a weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
– being seriously overweight (a BMI of 40 or above)
• People who are pregnant.
Experts from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have stressed that there is no new evidence pregnant women are at greater risk from coronavirus (Covid-19) than other healthy individuals, or that they can pass the infection to their baby while pregnant.
The prime minister’s latest announcement is a welcome but purely precautionary measure to reduce the theoretical risk to the baby’s growth and a risk of preterm birth should the mother become unwell, they said.
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Hermann Mueller via Getty Images
There are some clinical conditions which put people at even higher risk of severe illness from Covid-19. People who fall into this category include:
• those who have received an organ transplant and remain on ongoing immunosuppression medication
• people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia who are at any stage of treatment
• people with severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma (requiring hospital admissions or courses of steroid tablets)
• people with severe diseases of body systems, such as severe kidney disease (dialysis)
People in this last category will be directly contacted by NHS England next week and offered advice on the more stringent measures they should take in order to keep safe. In the meantime, anyone who falls into the above categories should be “rigorously” following social distancing advice.
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Can you still go to the doctor or hospital?
“We advise everyone to access medical assistance remotely, wherever possible,” reads the latest government advice. “However, if you have a scheduled hospital or other medical appointment during this period, talk to your GP or clinician to ensure you continue to receive the care you need and consider whether appointments can be postponed.”
So, what should you do now?
Boris Johnson said that by the weekend, groups particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 will be asked to stay at home for 12 weeks to “ensure this period of shielding, this period of maximum protection coincides with the peak of the disease”.
This measure has not yet come into effect. However if you are considered at-risk, you should definitely be thinking about how you will live and work from home and get the necessary supplies and prescriptions over the next three months.
This may involve using online shops or relying on a friend or family member to drop them off on your doorstep. Other things to think about include how you’ll exercise, how you’ll fill your time (hobbies, games, books, etc), and how you’ll continue to connect with others, albeit remotely.
While the whole population has been advised to follow the below social distancing measures, those in at-risk groups are “strongly advised” to follow them and to “significantly limit face-to-face interaction with friends and family”.
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Social distancing advice
1) Avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (Covid-19) – a high temperature and/or new and continuous cough.
2) Avoid non-essential use of public transport, varying your travel times to avoid rush hour, when possible.
3) Work from home, where possible. Your employer should support you to do this.
4) Avoid large gatherings, and gatherings in smaller public spaces such as pubs, cinemas, restaurants, theatres, bars, clubs.
5) Avoid gatherings with friends and family. Keep in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet, and social media.
6) Use telephone or online services to contact your GP or other services.
This guidance is likely to be in place for some weeks, so you should contact your friends and family to let them know that you are reducing social contact and that they should not visit you during this time, unless they are providing essential care for you – ie. help with washing, dressing, or preparing meals.
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A Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spokesperson confirmed to HuffPost UK that the stricter measures only apply to those who are in the more vulnerable groups. People who live with someone classed as at-risk are urged to “try to find somewhere else for them to stay for 14 days”.
However, this is unlikely to be possible for everyone, in which case, you should try to keep away from each other as much as possible, suggests the NHS.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-17--The Best Gifts For Mother's Day 2020

The Best Gifts For Mother's Day 2020

HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Prices and availability subject to change.
HuffPost UK Louise/HuffPost UK
HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Prices and availability subject to change.
However you’re planning to celebrate Mother’s Day this year, make sure you spoil her and remind her how much she means to you.
If you’re feeling worried about plans you might have made, we’ve got a helpful few tips on celebrating Mother’s Day safely.
Whether it’s a small token of affection or you’re splurging on a treat, take your pick from a gift guide that’s sure to bring a smile her face.
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HuffPost UK Pegasus Coin Spinner Necklace with Mother of Pearl, Ottoman Hands, £63
Turkish inspired, but based in Britain, Ottoman Hands is a demi-fine jewellery brands that makes beautiful, affordable pieces that can be layered or worn alone. This mother of pearl drop necklace is befitting for the mother figure in your life.
HuffPost UK Zari Embroidered Headband, Anthropologie, £35
For the fashion forward recipient, a statement, embellished headband is an obvious choice. You don’t have to worry about getting the size wrong, and if looked after properly, will last a long time.
HuffPost UK Wren Kimono and Trouser Set Ivory, Bluebella, £44
A cosy silk pyjama set will make lounging around indoors more comfortable and is the perfect excuse to stay in them all day. The cross over kimono jacket can be adjusted thanks to the tie belt, so if you overdo it on the desert you’ve still got room to breathe, just think how glamorous she’ll feel swanning about the house in this two-piece set.
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HuffPost UK Sunflower Still Life Art Print, Iamfy, £16
If your mum is allergic to flowers, buy here an affordable wall art of them instead which will outlive the real thing, but brighten up a room equally as well. For change from a twenty, this is a no brainer if you’re stuck for ideas.
It’s stressful time right now, but don’t let that affect your mum’s sleep routine. Instead grab a helping hand in the form of Jo Malone’s very first pillow mist. Not only is the lavender bottle beautiful to decorate your bedside, the lavender and musk scent will help her drift into dreamland.
HuffPost UK Saffiano-Effect Wallet, Mango, £9.99
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You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a thoughtful gift. This lilac wallet, with a section for cards and space for coins is fashionable and functionable. What’s not to love?
HuffPost UK Diptyque Paris en Fleur Scented Candle, Space NK, £30
Everyone loves a nice candle, and the beautifully illustrated print on this new Diptyque edition is only matched by the scent – flower petals and patchouli FYI. Plus, once it’s burnt through, you can wash it out and use it a makeup brush holder. Waste not, want not.
HuffPost UK Waterstones
It’s finally here, the long-awaited sequel to Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies. It’s a big moment. The much-loved trilogy charts the rise and fall of Thomas Cromwell’s life, with this final instalment focussing on his final years. If you’re feeling generous, why not buy her the set?
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HuffPost UK DOIY Girl Power Small Arm Vase, Liberty London, £35


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-17--Tory MP 'Very Sorry' For Saying Complainant About Low Sick Pay Should 'Get A Life'

Pauline Latham said she was "very sorry" for her tweets. Parliament
Conservative MP Pauline Latham has apologised after she told someone who asked her if she thought statutory sick pay was enough to live on to “get a life”.
I must apologise for the Tweet to a constituent over the weekend. At the time, I was in Spain in a state of distress having just visited my brother who is suffering from acute dementia. Very sadly, we could not bring him home to the UK because of Coronavirus. 1/2 — Pauline Latham (@Pauline_Latham) March 17, 2020
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At this time of stress, I received a Tweet from what I perceived to be a keyboard warrior and it pushed me over the edge. I am very sorry I reacted so hastily. 2/2 — Pauline Latham (@Pauline_Latham) March 17, 2020
The original tweet, sent to her, asked: “Is £94 a week SSP is enough to live on? How could you manage on it?”
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In response to the coronavirus outbreak, the government has said statutory sick pay will be made available for those who are advised to self-isolate even if they haven’t yet presented with symptoms.
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But there are millions of low-paid workers who are not eligible to receive the payment of £94 per week.
Labour has demanded the government expand the programme to cover everyone and also increase the amount.
Instead the government has so far just said it will make it “quicker and easier” for those not eligible to receive benefits.
It comes as Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, is due today to set out a new package of support for businesses hit by the outbreak less than a week after announcing £12bn of emergency funding in the Budget
The government will also lay out emergency legislation expected to include powers for police to detain people to stop them spreading the virus and allowing hospitals to send patients home to free up beds.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-18--Why Isn't The UK Testing Everyone With Coronavirus Symptoms?

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Update: Prime minister Boris Johnson has now announced plans to test more people for coronavirus – scaling up to 10,000 tests a day initially, with the aim to reach 25,000 tests a day in four weeks time.
Not everyone who shows symptoms of coronavirus will be tested for the disease in the UK. In fact, as it stands, it’s more likely you won’t be tested, despite the World Health Organisation (WHO) urging countries to “test, test, test”.
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WHO director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told reporters at a virtual press conference on Monday 18 March: “We have a simple message for all countries: test, test, test. Test every suspected case, if they test positive, isolate them and find out who they have been in contact with two days before they developed symptoms and test those people, too.”
The call to action came just days after the UK announced it would be distinctly moving away from community testing for Covid-19.
Public Health England (PHE), together with NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), said testing would be prioritised for those most at risk of severe illness from the virus. “Our aim is to save lives, protect the most vulnerable, and relieve pressure on our NHS,” PHE said in a statement.
The move left many confused – individuals with symptoms are being urged to stay indoors and self-isolate for seven days, while people who live with others are now urged to all stay at home for 14 days if one person displays symptoms.
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sorbetto via Getty Images
Chief medical officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, believes testing efforts in the UK are already “substantial”, with more than 64,000 tests conducted. Of the countries where testing data is available, China had issued the most tests at the time of writing, followed by South Korea, Italy and the United Arab Emirates, according to analysis by Our World In Data. Russia followed closely behind and the UK came next, but with half the number of tests issued. When you look at the number of tests performed per million people, the UK is lagging behind.
South Korea is reportedly processing around 10,000 tests a day. Its foreign minister said testing was “the key behind our very low fatality rate”. In comparison, PHE was only processing 1,500 tests a day across the UK until last week, when it revealed NHS labs would start testing swabs from hospital patients, enabling 8,000 more samples to be analysed every day. But it’s not known whether this capacity is being reached yet.
If we’re not testing everyone with symptoms, we don’t know how many people actually have the virus. So what’s going on?
What does a Covid-19 test look like?
Professor Trudie Lang, director of the Global Health Network, University of Oxford, tells HuffPost UK it’s important to be clear on what we mean by “testing”. It doesn’t mean taking people’s temperatures at airports – that’s known as potential case detection, which is “very different”.
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Rather, the main method of testing used in the UK right now is where a swab is taken from a person’s upper respiratory system (so the nose or mouth) and then sent to approved labs in the UK, run by PHE and NHS, where trained staff then determine whether the virus is present.
“It’s quite a difficult test and it requires the right equipment, trained people and it has to be validated – they do cross-checking across the labs to make sure it’s absolutely accurate,” says Prof Lang.
So, why isn’t the UK testing everyone?
Prof Lang believes the UK has been testing “really high numbers” compared to other countries – and while it’s “absolutely right” that WHO urged countries to “test, test, test”, the situation in the UK is that “testing is being rolled out relative to the ability of the health care system to put it in place,” she says.
While she believes the testing strategy has been “comprehensively put in place” in the UK, she said it’s also limited by the process itself – the healthcare system has to take the samples from the patient safely, away from other hospital patients, and get the results back to them and act on it quickly.
And the government’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance offered a similar reason. He acknowledged more testing is needed, but said there isn’t capacity to do so. Speaking to the Health and Social Care Committee on Tuesday 17 March, he said: “We need to use the testing in the right place at the moment.
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“We simply don’t have mass testing available for the population now – and there’s a big effort going on to try and get that in place as quickly as possible to be able to manage this.”
How are they prioritising testing, then?
As it stands, tests are being primarily offered to patients in critical care or who require hospital admission for pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome or flu-like illness, and where an outbreak has occurred in a residential or care setting, like a care facility or prison.
Initially, back in February, the UK started with community testing. This meant people could call up their GP or NHS 111 if they had symptoms and had come back from a high-risk country. They were told to attend a community hub or drive-through testing facility. There were even pilots in London where medical staff would visit people in their homes. However last week, health officials said they had to prioritise those most at risk.
On Monday, Prof Whitty defended the UK’s move away from community testing and said there was “complete surveillance testing” in intensive care. Pneumonia patients are also being tested in hospitals, he said, and GPs are testing in the community – it’s believed he was referring to areas where there has been ongoing surveillance testing, where selected GP practices test patients and submit samples, even if they have not travelled to an area affected by Covid-19 or don’t show symptoms. The aim of this is to monitor the disease’s spread.
Sir Vallance confirmed that PHE is looking at other tests that might work in the community and said community testing would be reintroduced as and when capacity allows.
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On 15 March, Scotland’s government said testing would be extended to communities but there wouldn’t be testing in place for those with minor symptoms. It also said enhanced surveillance testing would be operating in hospitals – meaning patients without symptoms would be tested too.
Could a different type of Covid-19 test be on the horizon?
One type of test Prof Lang and other academics are hopeful for is serology testing, which is in development. This is a type of blood test that looks for antibodies in your blood and can tell whether you’ve had Covid-19 or not.
“If you have antibodies it means you’ve had the infection, you’ve cleared it and you’re immune – that would be really helpful for protecting health workers,” says Prof Lang.
Another test which would be “ideal” to have, she continues, would be a ‘point of care’ test, which would tell patients whether they have the virus there and then, rather than requiring laboratory analysis – and the 24-hour (sometimes longer) wait to get test results back.
However, it’s not known yet when either of these tests will be available for use.
When will testing ramp up?
Perhaps most urgent is the need for testing health workers on the frontline right now. At the time of writing, 800,000 people had called for NHS frontline staff with symptoms of the virus to be tested as a priority. A petition by junior doctor Rebecca McCauley said NHS staff are facing the “dilemma” of deciding to either take seven days off work – further contributing to staff shortages – or risking exposing their patients and colleagues to Covid-19.
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Sir Vallance said as testing capacity ramps up, the next priority group will be key workers, such as NHS staff. “I think we need a big increase in testing,” he told the committee. “And that’s what I’m pushing very hard for.
“What you don’t want is everybody coming to the hospital to be tested, that’s the worst possible thing. The quicker we can get to something that looks like a true community-based test that people can do easily, the better.”
When pushed on a timescale for this, he couldn’t say for sure. “There is a lot of working going on at the moment ... to select which test we should go for – and how that can be ramped up.”
That said, he said it’s “quite likely” the private sector will be involved in some capacity, “so we can get things out there fast on the community side.” His comments come as the Private Harley Street Clinic claims to offer “the only test in the world” that can identify Covid-19 and differentiate between nine other viruses with the same symptoms. This will be unaccessible for many, though, costing £375.
As it stands, we can only wait for testing in the UK to be increased. In the meantime, those who have symptoms of coronavirus are told to stay at home and self-isolate. Use the NHS 111 online service to monitor symptoms and seek medical advice if they worsen.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-18--Glastonbury Cancelled: Coronavirus Shuts Down 2020 Festival

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This year’s Glastonbury Festival has been cancelled.
The annual music festival, which was due to celebrate its 50th anniversary this June, will no longer go ahead because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are so sorry to announce this but Glastonbury 2020 will have to be cancelled and this will be an enforced fallow year for the festival,” organisers said in a lengthy statement posted on the festival’s official Twitter page.
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“Clearly this was not a course of action we hoped to take for our 50th anniversary event, but following the new government measures announced this week – and in times of such unprecedented uncertainty – this is now our only viable option.”
We are so sorry to announce this, but we are going to have to cancel Glastonbury 2020. Tickets for this year will roll over to next year. Full statement below and on our website. Michael & Emily pic.twitter.com/ox8kcQ0HoB — Glastonbury Festival (@glastonbury) March 18, 2020
They continued: “We very much hope that the situation in the UK will have improved enormously by the end of June.
“But even as it is, we are no longer able to spend the next three months with thousands of crew here on he farm, helping us with the enormous job of building the infrastructure and attractions needed to welcome more than 200,000 people to a temporary city in these fields.”
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Around 135,000 tickets had already been sold for the five-day event which was due to take place from 24–28 June.
Those who have tickets for this year’s festival are invited to “roll their £50 deposit over to next year, and guarantee the opportunity to buy a ticket for Glastonbury 2021”.
Refunds will also be optional in the coming days to those who would prefer their deposit back.
Alys Tomlinson via Getty Images
Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, and Kendrick Lamar were all due to headline Glastonbury in 2020, while Diana Ross was scheduled to perform in the “Legends” slot at Worthy Farm in Somerset.
Earlier this month, Adrian Coombs, Glastonbury Festival’s Head of Event Operations, said they were “closely monitoring” the developments surrounding coronavirus but were continuing to plan for this year’s festival.
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Glastonbury’s cancellation follows the decision to postpone this year’s Coachella to October, while other festivals including Radio 1′s Big Weekend and Country2Country have been either pushed back or cancelled completely.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-18--This Is What It's Really Like To Survive On £94 Statutory Sick Pay A Week

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On Wednesday, the government announced that people told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace in locked down areas would be eligible for £13 a day: more than the £0 they were previously entitled to, but still slightly less than statutory sick pay. This feature, originally published in March 2020, sheds light on what it’s like surviving off that amount.
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People surviving on the government’s sick pay rate of £94 a week have revealed the tough choices they regularly face between having food on the table or a roof over their head.
As coronavirus cases continue to spread through the UK and prime minister Boris Johnson urges people to work from home and avoid social gatherings, individuals and businesses are becoming increasingly concerned about their income.
One mum told HuffPost UK she would rather risk losing her home by not paying her mortgage than see her children going hungry.
And a man who has been on sick leave due to long-term mental health issues told how there have been times when he has had to survive on plain pasta and says he regularly has to borrow money from friends to buy basics.
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The government announced in the budget that statutory sick pay (SSP) of £94.25 a week will be available to those who are unwell from the first day of illness under emergency legislation to tackle the spread of Covid-19. Under previous rules, workers only received the pay from the fourth day off work.
SSP is a lifeline to zero-hours workers and any other people who do not have sick pay written in to employment contracts.
Boris Johnson has announced that it will be available to eligible individuals unable to work because they are self-isolating in line with government advice.
The announcement has put Britain’s meagre sick pay rates in the spotlight. They are among the lowest in Europe.
But for some, the rate of sick pay is not just a politically contentious figure, but an existing daily reality forcing them to make difficult choices.
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Laura Jackson, 40, who lives in Bristol, is a self-employed tutor and says there is a lack of clarity on whether she will even get SSP, or any money, if she can’t work as a result of coronavirus.
She and her partner Craig have two children aged six and three and are worried about how they will provide for them if they can’t go to work.
Laura knows how hard it is to survive on statutory sick pay of £94 a week: before she had children, she was on sick pay for four months when she was unable to work due to mental health issues.
Laura Jackson with her two children Laura Jackson
“It is frightening living off such a small amount of money and you are forced to make difficult choices every day,” she told HuffPost UK.
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“At the time, myself and my partner were living in a bedsit and we could not afford to have the heating on.
“We were eating high carb food like cheap pasta and potatoes and literally living off tinned beans. We filled up on things like pasta which cost 24p a bag. But we are educated and intelligent people who know that eating those things wasn’t doing us any good and would make us feel worse.
“But we had no choice and we were cold and hungry. You end up living hand-to-mouth and it becomes simply existing.”
At that time, she and her partner only had to worry about themselves, but the prospect of not earning feels very different and frightening now they have their children to provide for.
“I feel this virus has hit a class divide very early on.” she told HuffPost UK. “I am feeling the pressure of parents saying: ‘We should keep our children off school.’
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“But people in my position simply cannot afford to keep their children off school as it means I won’t be able to work and then risk not being able to pay the mortgage.
“Our mortgage is £465 a month so £94 a week wouldn’t even cover that. It would only pay for food and bills.
“But I am one of the lucky ones as a lot of people’s mortgages will be a lot higher than that. And I am willing to take the risk of losing my home by not paying the mortgage if it means feeding and providing for my children.
“Given the stark choice, I am always going to choose to feed my children rather than pay the mortgage.”
The government this week announced “mortgage holidays” to help those struggling to keep up with payments while off sick, but has stopped short of extending the same to renters.
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Laura Jackson with her two children Laura Jackson
Laura added in relation to the coronavirus pandemic: “It is galling hearing people talk about how their holiday was cancelled when you’re having to make tough choices such as food on the table or a roof over your head.”
Laura says when some people hear that statutory sick pay is £94 a week, they mistakenly think that is “spending money” and it angers her when they say people just need to tighten their belts and not go out socialising.
“We are talking about not being able to afford things like food, toilet roll and sanitary products. It’s not that you can’t have nice things; they have never existed.” - Laura Jackson, mum-of-two
She said: “Some people say: ‘Well, you’ll just have to not go out or socialise,’ as if these are the things people are worried about losing. But we have never had those things.
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“We are talking about not being able to afford things like food, toilet roll and sanitary products. It’s not that you can’t have nice things; they have never existed.”
Laura says one of the hardest things about being poor is having to buy more expensive things as you can’t afford to buy in bulk or forward plan. She explained: “You can’t afford to buy multi-buy items such as ‘buy two, get third free’ or larger items that work out cheaper. You can’t take advantage of offers and bulk buy even if you want to.
“It is a vicious cycle and you are reminded every day how poor you are.”
However, Laura counts her blessings as she says at least she and her partner have lived in poverty before and will be prepared for all eventualities, unlike those who will be experiencing such hardships for the first time.
“We also don’t want to scare our children and are trying to still have fun and be silly and not have serious conversations in front of them.” she said. “But when they drop food on the floor, my heart sinks.”
Tommy Brady, 27, who lives in Manchester, has been on sick leave for the last three years due to long term mental health issues.
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He says his hardships began after his mother Kathy, a single parent, died suddenly at 50 from cancer when he was 13.
He spent a year boarding at the school he was at and then a couple of years living with some family members but has been supporting himself since the age of 16.
He lived in London for a brief period and witnessed a couple of violent incidents outside his place of work. Tthis combined with the trauma of losing his mother affected his mental health, although he did not deal with it for a few years. He suffers from depression and PTSD.
Tommy was working on a zero-hour contract at a cinema, but quit in anger, which he regrets, saying he was “irrational” as a result of his mental health issues.
He gets sick pay through Universal Credit and says it is difficult trying to stretch money to make ends meet – particularly as he has spent the last couple of years trying to pay people back after receiving no money for six months as a result of a clerical error.
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Tommy Brady who has been off sick due to long term mental health issues Tommy Brady
“I genuinely don’t eat a lot – only about a meal-and-a-half a day,” he told HuffPost UK. “But there have been points where I have just been eating plain pasta as it is all I have had.
“I regularly have to borrow money from friends to buy some basics when I have nothing to survive on. This happens almost every month – but it’s a catch-22 situation as the following month, you have to pay people back.
“About six months ago, I had no clothes as everything I owned was tatty and falling apart. So I had to take out a credit card to buy clothes which is something I’d never done before and I am now paying that off every month.”
Tommy was a regular gigging musician playing acoustic punk and folk music which he did for enjoyment, but he says he has not been able to do any for the last three years. “A beer costs £5 in Manchester,” he explained. “I could not afford to go out and spend that on one drink and I don’t want to be constantly scrounging off my friends.”
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Tommy discovered an element of Universal Credit which pays for college fees. He is now doing an access course at college and aims to go to university in September, and wants to turn his life around.
“It has been really difficult doing my college course while on Universal Credit.” he said. “Even though the fees are paid for, I have extra expenses such as travel and supplies.
“But when I go to university, I will be able to get student loans and bursaries.”
It is often the little things others take for granted that affect those living on small incomes such as SSP, says Tommy.
“When I am in college for a full day, at lunchtime, I’d love to get a coffee with my friends. But the decision I face is: ‘Do I get a £3 coffee now or some food in a couple of weeks?’
“Getting a coffee is not important, but it would be nice to have a coffee with my friends without it being a huge thing.”
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Tommy Brady who has been off sick due to long term mental health issues Tommy Brady
Tommy wants people to know that those on sick pay and benefits are not “getting money for doing nothing” and says they often feel trapped by feelings of hopelessness.
“It is a feeling of helplessness and fear that nothing will ever get better and that you will always be broke and relying on others.” - Tommy Brady, 27, who has been off sick due to long term mental health issues
He told HuffPost UK: “It is isolating, frightening and downright depressing. I have now taken steps to change my life, but for a long time, I felt trapped and as though changing things was impossible.
“It is a feeling of helplessness and fear that nothing will ever get better, and that you will always be broke and relying on others.”
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Andrew Forsey, national director of Feeding Britain – a national charity that aims to eliminate hunger in the UK – told HuffPost UK that the problem is that the current level of statutory sick pay – and the Universal Credit system – assumes people have savings to fall back on.
“In years gone by, those savings could have provided enough of a buffer to not only keep the threat of hunger and destitution at bay, but also to maintain a relatively decent standard of living.” he said.
“Yet we now live in an age where millions of people on modest incomes have nothing to fall back on.
“A change in government policy, to reflect the circumstances of people who are trapped in this situation and to offer them genuine security when it is needed, is long overdue.”
“People being unable to afford the basics like food and bills because they are unwell is not something we should tolerate as a society.” - Helen Barnard, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Helen Barnard, deputy director for policy and partnerships at the independent social change organisation Joseph Rowntree Foundation says that, as a country, we believe in protecting each other from harm. She believes a redesign of the social security system is needed to support people through difficult times.
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“When we cannot work due to illness, the support we get from the government and from employers is especially vital in achieving this.” she told HuffPost UK.
“Current statutory sick pay levels are not enough to support many people, leaving them at risk of being swept into poverty when they are already at crisis point.
“And some people are not currently eligible to receive sick pay, so don’t have the lifeline that all workers should be able to rely on.
“People being unable to afford the basics like food and bills because they are unwell is not something we should tolerate as a society.
“We can redesign our social security system so that it provides an anchor for people when times get tough.
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“Employers also have a role to play in supporting workers who are unable to go to work due to sickness by offering sick pay and flexibility where possible.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-18--Funny Tweets About What It's Like To Suddenly Work From Home

the human has been working from home the last couple days. and every so often. they let me participate in the video calls. all the other humans cheer when they see me. i am the only thing holding their company together


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-18--Only MPs With Question Allowed In Commons For PMQs Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

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Only MPs scheduled to quiz Boris Johnson will be allowed in the Commons for prime minister’s questions (PMQs) as the government bids to stem the rapid spread of coronavirus.
The PM will face MPs at noon but Tory whips have told that only those whose questions have been picked should be in the chamber.
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It means just a handful of parliamentarians will be in the Commons for the high-profile session.
In a message to MPs, deputy chief whip Stuart Andrew said: “In order to ensure that we follow the advice being give to the public, it has been decided that only people on the order paper should be in the Chamber for PMQs. We respectfully ask you to adhere to this message.”
A similar message was sent to Labour MPs from the party’s whips’ office, which reads: “The government are trying to avoid crowding the chamber at question time on the Conservative side. Can we do the same.
“If you are not on the order paper or seeking to get called could you please not come into the chamber. If you are in the chamber could space yourselves out? This applies to the frontbench and backbenches.”
MPs sit apart during PMQs in a bid to stop the potential spread of coronavirus Huffington Post
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It comes after Johnson on Monday advised all Brits against all non-essential contact and travel in order to keep the contagion at bay.
He asked the public to avoid pubs, clubs and restaurants, and stressed that the over-70s and vulnerable groups should stay at home.
A number of MPs, including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, are aged 70 or over and deemed to be at higher risk.
Infectious disease expert professor Neil Ferguson, who has been advising Johnson and the government, is self-isolating after developing symptoms and described Westminster as a hotbed for the virus.
Ferguson, the director of J-IDEA and the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, tweeted on Wednesday.
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Sigh. Developed a slight dry but persistent cough yesterday and self isolated even though I felt fine. Then developed high fever at 4am today. There is a lot of COVID-19 in Westminster. — neil_ferguson (@neil_ferguson) March 18, 2020
Health minister Nadine Dorries is recovering from the virus after falling ill last week.
Jarrow MP Kate Osborne revealed on Monday that she also had tested positive.
At least 25 MPs are already self-isolating amid fears they have contracted the disease.
Chief scientific officer Patrick Vallance pointing out on Tuesday that London is ahead of the rest of the country in terms of the virus’ spread.
Despite all this, Johnson is nonetheless preparing to answer MPs’ questions on the government’s response to the coronavirus crisis.
Spain has not suspended parliament but its prime minister Pedro Sánchez and colleagues have been pictured keeping a sizeable distance from colleagues.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-18--Watch: Here’s The Latest On Coronavirus

Watch: Here’s The Latest On Coronavirus

Watch: Here’s The Latest On Coronavirus - 18 March
Governments across the globe prepare for the economic impact of the coronavirus as the UK and US announce unprecedented financial measures to ease financial pressure on businesses and the public. And with social distancing remaining in place in many countries, some people are finding creative ways to stay connected.