thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--Education Unions Warn Johnson To 'Step Back' From June 1 Return Date For Schools

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Boris Johnson should “step back” from his June 1 return date for schools amid continuing safety fears, an alliance of education trade unions has warned.
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In a strongly worded joint statement, the GMB, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU, Unison and Unite said that school staff appeared to be the only workers in the country who would not be protected by social distancing rules under government plans.
And they warned that classrooms of youngsters could “become sources of Covid-19 transmission and spread”.
The PM stressed this week that his “ambition” was for all primary pupils to get a month’s lessons before summer, with reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children the first to go back. Key pre-GSCE and A-level years at secondary school would also get classroom time.
Education secretary Gavin Williamson published new guidelines on Monday night for a phased return for pupils, including halving class sizes to 15 children each.
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Answering an urgent Commons question, Williamson hit back at “scaremongering” and said that the poorest pupils would suffer the most if they were not allowed to catch up on learning lost during the lockdown.
He also stressed he was acting on the advice of scientific and medical experts o the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).
The joint union statement - sent out through the TUC - warned: “We call on the government to step back from June 1 and work with us to create the conditions for a safe return to schools based on the principles and tests we have set out.
Education secretary Gavin Williamson speaking in the House of Commons PA
“We all want schools to reopen, but that should only happen when it is safe to do so. The government is showing a lack of understanding about the dangers of the spread of coronavirus within schools, and outwards from schools to parents, sibling and relatives, and to the wider community.
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“Uniquely, it appears, school staff will not be protected by social distancing rules. Fifteen children in a class, combined with their very young age, means that classrooms of four- and five-year olds could become sources of Covid-19 transmission and spread.
“While we know that children generally have mild symptoms, we do not know enough about whether they can transmit the disease to adults. We do not think that the government should be posing this level of risk to our society.”
The alliance of unions wrote to Williamson last week that demanding no increase in pupil numbers “until full rollout of a national test and trace scheme”.
It also wanted an assessment of the specific needs of vulnerable students and poorer families facing economic disadvantage, and called for extra cash for school cleaning and PPE.
Under government plans, smaller class sizes will be accompanied by staggered lunch breaks as well as drop-off and pick-up times to reduce mixing of parents.
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Boris Johnson Gavin Williamson visit a London primary PA
In the Commons, Williamson was told by Labour MP Mary Foy that “the education unions are clear” that safety must come first, as she attacked the plans as “ill thought out and reckless”.
“At worst, the proposals will set off a chain of new infections back into the households of working people. How can it be right, that without any scientific evidence, school staff and their pupils have to accept lower safety standards than you expect queuing at Tescos?”
The education secretary replied: “Scaremongering and making people fear is really unfair and not a welcome pressure that is to be placed on families, children and teachers alike.”
“When you have medical and scientific advice that is saying this is the right time to start bringing schools back in a phased and controlled manner, it seems only the right thing to do and the only responsible thing to do.
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“The reason that we are bringing schools back is that we know that children benefit from being educated by their brilliant teachers in front of them. We recognise that children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds are the ones who are going to suffer the most if we do not bring schools back when we are able to do so.”
But shadow education secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey accused him of trying to “scramble to implement an unrealistic plan by a specific date” and warned that PPE for staff was crucial because social stancing will be “virtually impossible” for younger children.
For the first time, Williamson gave more detail about how secondary pupils facing GSCEs and A-levels next year would get “some time with their teachers” before the summer break. He did not mention a return to full lessons, only consultations about work plans.
The government wanted Years 10 and 12 to “have the opportunity to go into school to speak with their teachers ]and] their teachers make an assessment of what learning and support that they need to have over the following weeks as we approach the summer holidays”.
“It is important to get these transition years back into schools, even if it is for a not for a full timetable.”
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Williamson also signalled that schools could open in the summer to admit teams of volunteers - including retired and former teachers - to help with ‘catch-up’ provision for pupils.
Asked by education commitee chairman Rob Halfon about the idea, he replied there were many thousands of such volunteers and “we’re very closely looking at such schemes - working with schools, working with the sector - as to how we can make that available to them”.
Paul Whiteman of the National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) warned this week that the timetable was “wildly optimistic to the point of being irresponsible” because of uncertainty over social distancing and protective equipment for teachers and other staff.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--Grant Shapps Says He Wouldn't Board Packed Bus - As No.10 Tells Public To Go Back To Work

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The transport secretary has admitted he wouldn’t get on a packed bus or Tube during the coronavirus pandemic, on the same morning the public was encouraged by the government to return to work.
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Grant Shapps said people should continue to avoid public transport except for essential journeys. It comes as videos posted on social media on Wednesday morning showed busy buses and Tubes in London.
Boris Johnson said those in England who were unable to work from home should return to their jobs on Wednesday, and Shapps insisted the government is taking a “common sense” approach, gradually easing the restrictions.
But London Underground workers said there was “complete shambles” during rush hour when part of the Victoria Line was suspended after reports that a passenger had collapsed.
“Social distancing during the peak was a joke. During the suspension our carriages were heaving – it will get worse,” said one worker.
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Asked by BBC Breakfast whether he would personally go on a packed bus or Tube, Shapps said: “No. People should try to avoid that.”
He also urged people not to “flood back” on to public transport, warning that the system will not be able to cope.
Mick Cash, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, said: “This incident shows just how fraught with danger the government’s return to work call is for our transport services in the midst of this pandemic.
“One incident and we are reduced to crisis management with reports that social distancing is impossible with Tube carriages rammed.
“RMT warned this would happen and we were ignored. We are monitoring the situation across services this morning and will discuss any appropriate action with our local reps.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--L-Shaped Economic Dip Could Mean 'Significant Number Of Deaths', Says Top Statistician

Sir Ian Diamond, UK national statistician Sir Ian Diamond
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There will be a “significant number of deaths” if the Covid-19 pandemic plunges the UK economy into an “L-shaped” recession, the country’s statistics tsar has warned.
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Sir Ian Diamond, UK national statistician, told MPs on Wednesday that poverty and long-term unemployment will damage health if the economy tumbles into prolonged recession.
Forecasts vary over how much damage the pandemic will do, from a relatively-optimistic “V-shaped” dip, which would see UK gross domestic product (GDP) bounce back straight away, to the worst case scenario, the “L-shaped” deep recession, which would see growth fail to recover to its previous rate for years.
Diamond told the Commons’ public administration and constitutional affairs committee that if economists’ greatest fears were realised, there would be an increase in mortality.
He said: “If – and I stress, if – we end up with an L-shaped recession as opposed to a V-shape where we come back out quite quickly, an L-shape over a long period of time could lead to a significant number of deaths as a result of people being pushed into poverty or into long-term unemployment.”
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It came as Boris Johnson began to ease the lockdown, shifting the government’s core message from “stay at home” to “stay alert” and asking people to return to work if doing their job from home was impossible.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak extended the government’s emergency wages programme – also called the furlough scheme – to the end of October as many restrictions and business closures remain in place.
It has meant businesses can ask the government to pay 80% of an employee’s wages, up to £2,500, where they are affected by the lockdown. But Sunak has warned that, from August, as restrictions are lifted, firms will be asked to contribute.
The UK economy shrank by 2% in the first quarter of 2020, official figures released on Wednesday confirmed.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said activity plunged 5.8% in March, sending first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) to its biggest fall since the end of 2008 at the height of the financial crisis.
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People wearing face masks on the Tube on Tuesday ASSOCIATED PRESS
But, as Johnson tries to navigate a way out of the lockdown, fears about a second spike in coronavirus cases remain.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have rejected the prime minister’s new approach in the their respective nations, cautioning that people may not yet be safe from contagion.
Diamond described the UK as experiencing “three epidemics” of Covid-19: one in care homes, one in the community and one in hospitals.
He cautioned that while cases were falling, it was happening “not as speedily as we would perhaps like”.
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“We are through the current peak,” he said. “It does seem to me we need to be worried as a nation that as we come through this current peak we do not seed another one.”
The statistician also said the public should be “careful” when comparing the UK’s death toll from coronavirus with that of other countries.
Figures on Tuesday showed that 32,692 people in the UK have lost their lives after testing positive for the disease, with more than 40,000 people thought to have died when taking into account suspected cases outside hospitals.
For Italy, Spain, France and Germany, the national figures stand at 30,911, 26,920, 26,643 and 7,667 respectively. America, meanwhile, has recorded a total of 81,779 deaths.
Diamond would not confirm the UK had Europe’s largest death toll as it was unclear “exactly whether we are comparing apples with apples and pears with pears” due to different reporting methods in other countries.
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He also said that the full indirect effects of the coronavirus epidemic in the UK may not be known for years, with deaths due to cancelled cancer screenings or a prolonged recession likely to only emerge in the long term.
Diamond said the planned NHS contact-tracing app could only be part of an “ecosystem” of measures to track the spread of the virus, rather than a total solution.
“I fear that some of the most vulnerable members of our society will perhaps be the least likely to get the app, whether it is old people, whether it is people from disadvantaged groups,” he said.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--Davina McCall To Present New Big Brother Highlights Episodes

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Davina McCall has announced that she’s returning to the Big Brother franchise for the first time in a decade.
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The former BB host is set to front a new highlights series celebrating some of the reality TV juggernaut’s best episodes.
Interestingly, Big Brother: Best Shows Ever Show will be aired by Channel 4 – the show’s original broadcaster – on its digital channel E4.
The series will coincide with the 20th anniversary of Big Brother’s launch in the UK this summer.
Davina McCall outside the Big Brother house in 2010 Ian Gavan via Getty Images
Davina said: “I lived and breathed Big Brother for 11 years of my life. I didn’t miss one single episode. Not one week goes by when I don’t quote Big Brother in some form.
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“It made me laugh, it made me cry and most importantly it taught me to never judge a book by its cover. I love the show with all of my heart and can’t wait to share it with a whole new audience. And of course, all you diehard fans out there...It’s good to be back. Big Brother’s missed you.”
She won’t be doing it alone, though, with former Bit On The Side presenter – and Celebrity Big Brother winner – Rylan Clark-Neal will join Davina in “choosing and dissecting” the episodes that are shown.
Rylan joined the Big Brother family during the Channel 5 years, and presented spin-off series Big Brother’s Bit On The Side until it was axed in 2018.
Rylan outside the Big Brother house in 2018 Mike Marsland via Getty Images
He said: “After being off air for nearly two years I’m so excited to be bringing some much-needed Big Brother back to our lives. Over the years Big Brother has brought groundbreaking television moments for many reasons, but now so more than ever whilst we’re all playing the role of housemates, let’s go back and rewind the clock to some of our favourite ever episodes.
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“There will be laughs, tears and drama, but most of all we get to relive some of Big Brother’s greatest episodes.”
Davina hosted Big Brother and its celebrity spin-off for 11 years, until the franchise made the jump to Channel 5, after which former winner Brian Dowling took over as presenter.
After three series, he was replaced by Emma Willis, who had been the host of Bit On The Side, while Rylan took over the spin-off show.
Since Big Brother went off the air in 2018, Rylan has been extremely vocal in his hopes for it to find a new UK home.
However, Channel 4 confirmed last year that they had no plans to bring it back, despite rumours at the time.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--You Can Now Travel To The Beach – But Should You?

Steve Parsons - PA Images via Getty Images Bournemouth beach.
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With Downing Street warning that “no travel is risk-free”, Brits have been flocking to the nation’s beaches to get their fix of sand and sea. But is it safe to do so?
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For a while now, we’ve seen images of busy coastlines across the UK. Some people worry the behaviour will contribute towards a second wave, while others blame the government, not beachgoers, for unclear guidance causing crowds to gather.
If you’re determined to get some sea air during the heatwave, there are some things you can do to limit the virus risk for yourself and local residents, says Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases at the University of East Anglia.
In theory, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t sit on a quiet beach, he tells HuffPost UK. “The virus will not survive long in the open air, particularly on a long, sunny day.” However, problems occur if everyone has the same idea and beaches become overcrowded, making distancing impossible to maintain.
“If you have children – who will still insist on running up to and playing with other children, who may be from another part of the country as far as you know – that is a problem,” says Prof. Hunter, who works with the World Health Organisation to produce guidance on sanitation and disease.
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It could also be particularly hard to socially distance in densely populated areas around the beach, such as the car park or footpaths leading to the coast. “A whole load of people trudging in the same direction along a public footpath, [is] quite prolonged contact and could pose a risk,” he says.
John Keeble via Getty Images Southend-on-Sea.
One simple way to reduce this risk is avoid hotspots that have been hitting the news, such as Bournemouth Beach or Southend-on-Sea. Instead, do your research and head to a lesser-known area.
Turn around and go home if you arrive at the beach and it looks packed, says Prof. Hunter. Remember, even if everyone there seems healthy, someone could be infected asymptomatically.
“If you get there and you can adequately socially distance, fine, stay there for a couple of hours, be sensible,” he says. “But if it starts to fill up and you realise that nobody else is paying attention to social distancing, I would leave.”
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Steve Parsons - PA Images via Getty Images
Another obstacle (and inevitability) is needing to use the loo if you’re planning a day trip. Prof. Hunter says any situation where you’re forced into close proximity with other people should be avoided.
“If you do use public toilets, for God’s sake wash your hands properly afterwards,” he says. “People so often don’t wash their hands and that’s disgusting at the best of times, but during a Covid pandemic, it’s criminal.”
Peter Dench via Getty Images
There are also local residents to think about. If you’re travelling from an area of the country with high levels of the disease, to an area with low levels of the disease, you risk bringing the infection with you and jeopardising the health of local residents, confirms Prof. Hunter.
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“If people get there and do not observe social distancing, hit the shops in large numbers and come into contact with locals needing to use those shops for their essentials – that’s where the main concern for residents would be,” he says.
You might want to consider bringing a packed lunch and other items you may need to avoid local shops. You should also take into account the ethical issue of whether your beach trip will prevent someone local from being able to enjoy their nearest outdoor area – for those without a garden, the beach could be their closest outside space.
Dr Amir Khan, Good Morning Britain’s resident health expert, warned people heading to the beach not to become complacent in the sunshine. “There is evidence that strong UV light can kill the virus within 30 minutes,” he says.
“There was a study published in a journal called Protobiology and Protochemistry, that showed strong UV light can actually damage the hard case of the virus and kill it. But that’s only on surfaces, it doesn’t take into account the main way the virus is spread, which is through droplets.
“So if you’re standing within two metres of someone and they are sneezing or even talking loudly, they can pass droplets on to you that you inhale in, and no amount of UV light will stop that from happening. You can’t rely on sunlight to protect you from the virus, it’s really important to say that.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Contestant Loses Out On £1m Even Though He Knew The Correct Answer

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There were agonising scenes during Tuesday’s edition of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? as a contestant missed out on the show’s top prize despite knowing the right answer to the £1 million question.
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Retired doctor Andrew Townsley got through to the final question on the ITV quiz show after correctly answering the proceeding 14.
As he became the only the sixth-ever contestant to reach the milestone in the show’s 22-year history, he was presented with a question about motorsport.
Andrew Townsley reached the £1m question on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Stellify Media/ITV
He was asked, “Which of these iconic races was held first?” before being given the options of A. Le Mans 24 Hours, B. Monaco Grand Prix, C. Indy 500 or D. Isle Of Man TT.
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Andrew, from Glasgow, admitted he was unsure of the answer and used his final lifeline, phone a friend, but his chosen pal did not know either.
Not willing to risk his £500,000 prize, Andrew said: “I don’t know the answer and it’s just too much money to lose.
“Having got so far and to go on a whim I think would be foolish and Niagara Falls is looking very nice at this time.”
Agonisingly, after bowing out of the competition, Andrew then said he would have guessed Isle Of Man TT, which turned out to be the correct answer.
Host Jeremy Clarkson hailed him as being a “truly fabulous contender”.
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In all, five contestants have won the £1m prize on the UK version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?.
The first was Judith Keppel in November 2000, while the most recent was Ingram Wilcox in 2006.
Major Charles Ingram famously scooped the top prize in 2001, but was never given his prize money – nor his winning episode shown – after he and his wife Diana were accused of using an elaborate coughing scheme to cheat on the show.
They were later found guilty in court and their story was the subject of recent ITV drama Quiz.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--Robert De Niro Calls Trump A 'Lunatic' Who 'Doesn't Care' How Many People Die From Coronavirus

Challenged by Newsnight host Emily Maitlis that Trump’s fanbase would disagree, the actor said: “No, he doesn’t care for those people. And the people who he pretends to care about are the people he has the most disdain for because he could care less about them.
“They might like to tell themselves or delude themselves, but he doesn’t care about them.”
The screen legend is currently isolating at his home in New York, the state hardest hit by the pandemic.
He said: “It’s been very strange because New York is kind of like a ghost town, it’s surreal then you see other parts of the world, other great big cities of the world, are also in the same situation.
“It’s interesting, it’s kind of like a science fiction movie but it’s real.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--Spain's Oldest Woman Survives Coronavirus, Says Humanity Needs 'A New Order'

At 113 years old, María Branyas was already the oldest woman in Spain. Now she’s also among the oldest in the world to survive Covid-19, according to Spanish media.
Branyas tested positive for the coronavirus in April and spent several weeks isolated in her room at a care home in Olot, a Catalonian city in the country’s northeast, Spanish news agency EFE reported. Recently she tested negative.
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According to posts last week on a Twitter account in her name ― established and run by Rosa Moret after her mother was named Spain’s oldest living person ― Branyas is grateful to the caregivers at her residence for their support during the illness.
She has lived in the same care home for two decades, EFE reported, and celebrated her 113th birthday there on March 4, just 10 days before Spain imposed strict lockdowns as Covid-19 cases skyrocketed in the hard-hit nation. She’s been unable to see her family since her birthday and has communicated instead over the phone.
Avui compleixo 113 anys
“Com fer-vos saber que sempre hi ha temps? Com fer-vos saber que ningú estableix normes, excepte la vida?” (Mario Benedetti) pic.twitter.com/vFxgMAZ8nG — Super Àvia Catalana (@MariaBranyas112) March 4, 2020
In late March, Branyas shared on Twitter that coronavirus had arrived in her care home. Then on April 2, she gave an update, sharing her musings from isolation about what a post-pandemic future might entail.
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“In the solitude of my room, fearless and hopeful, I don’t quite understand what’s going on in the world. But I think nothing will be the same again. And don’t think about redoing, recovering, rebuilding. It will have to be done all over again and differently,” the tweet, which has been translated from Spanish, said.
“I won’t be able to help you. In fact, for my age, I will no longer be there. But, believe me, you need a new order, a change in the hierarchy of values and priorities.”
Branyas was born to Spanish parents in the US, in San Francisco, where her father worked as a journalist in 1907. She moved to Spain in 1915.
She also lived through the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1919.
Estic avorrida i molt tipa d’aquesta situació. Son ja molts dies sense rebre visites, però és el que hi ha. Per passar l’estona, faig exercicis de memòria. Avui m’he traslladat a la meva infantesa als Estats Units. 👇 pic.twitter.com/I9kX0HZND3 — Super Àvia Catalana (@MariaBranyas112) April 14, 2020
Branyas had three children ― one of whom is now 86 ― 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Moret told EFE her mother was doing well following her recovery and considers the pandemic “a very great pain for everyone.”
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In her latest observations on Twitter, the centenarian criticised the way the elderly have been treated during the pandemic and sent her best to older people who are still struggling.
“It is very sad all that this pandemic has exposed. Older people do not deserve the forgetfulness they have received,” a tweet from her account on Tuesday read. “They fought and sacrificed time and dreams for you to have an identity and a quality of life today. They don’t deserve to leave the world that way.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--Trump Administration Tells States To Yank Benefits From Those Who Won't Return To Work

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Congress created special unemployment benefits so that laid-off workers could stay home while the coronavirus pandemic rages outside, but the Trump administration wants states to make sure that nobody’s getting benefits if they could be at work.
The US Department of Labor has told states, which implement unemployment insurance programs according to federal rules, that they should ask employers to notify the state if someone turns down an offer to come back to work.
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In a guidance memo on Monday evening, the Labor Department said: “States are strongly encouraged to request employers to provide information when workers refuse to return to their jobs for reasons that do not support their continued eligibility for benefits.”
The guidance comes as President Donald Trump is calling on states to lift restrictions on commerce so that the economy might get back on track ahead of the November election, even though the national death toll from Covid-19 is still rising at a brisk pace.
“We have to be warriors,” Trump said last week. “We can’t keep our country closed down for years.”
Several Republican-led states have already said business can resume and specifically warned that workers can’t receive unemployment benefits if their employer wants them back. At the same time, states are still struggling with the basic task of distributing benefits.
Several laid-off workers have told HuffPost that they’re still waiting for payments, including some who filed their claims more than a month ago. Millions of workers have probably not been paid, said Andrew Stettner, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, a progressive think tank.
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The government’s “responsibility is to pay for weeks of unemployment compensation when the payments are due,” Stettner said, noting that the federal standard for acceptable performance is that 87% of benefits are paid within 21 days ― a standard that has likely not been met.
More than 30 million Americans have applied for unemployment benefits in the last six weeks, an unprecedented surge in claims. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act provided an extra $600 per week in unemployment compensation and made independent contractors and the self-employed eligible for benefits for the first time. The new policies forced states to attempt to quickly update antiquated computer systems.
To reduce its backlog of claims, California tried suspending a requirement that claimants repeatedly certify that they are still eligible for benefits. Monday’s Labour Department guidance, however, said states can’t cut people any slack on certification.
US President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing about coronavirus on May 11 Drew Angerer via Getty Images
Employers are generally encouraged to report anyone on unemployment who refuses an offer of “suitable work” ― this is not a new feature of the program. But the Labor Department is asking for a crackdown on people who decline work offers when it’s not clear if the definition of “suitable” includes risking exposure to a highly contagious, brand-new virus that is still mysterious to doctors and that has killed more than 82,000 Americans in a matter of weeks.
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“If this guidance is going up that people need to be reported for refusing suitable work, then the department should also make it clear that you shouldn’t be offering unsafe work and considering it suitable,” said Michele Evermore, a senior researcher and policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project.
In an April letter, NELP asked for clarification on the parameters of “suitable work,” pointing to a longstanding regulation that says “a position shall not be deemed to be suitable for an individual if the circumstances present any unusual risk to the health, safety, or morals of the individual.”
In a followup letter on Tuesday, NELP and more than 200 liberal groups, including the AFL-CIO and the NAACP, called on the Labor Department to clarify the meaning of “suitable work,” saying the department’s “limited and misleading statements on the issue will require countless vulnerable workers to choose between their livelihood and the threat of contracting COVID-19 or exposing their loved ones to the deadly disease.”
The Labor Department has previously said that someone can refuse work and still be eligible for unemployment benefits if they’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19 or if someone at their workplace has received such a diagnosis. Merely refusing to work as a precaution, however, would make a person ineligible for benefits unless a medical professional has advised the person to self-quarantine. (The department has an eligibility Q&A on its website.)
“Donald Trump has no plan to fight the virus, which is why his administration is pushing workers to view themselves as ‘warriors’ and put their lives on the line for the president’s political benefit,” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said. “Workers should not be forced to choose between their health and their ability to keep food on the table.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--Ask Our Editors: How Covid-19 Is Changing Sex, Dating And Our Relationships

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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--US Inmate Dies From Covid-19 Two Days After Scheduled Release

A memorial at George Jr.'s home. Provided to The Lens by George Jr. Escamilla
This article is from The Lens, the New Orleans area’s first nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom, dedicated to unique investigative and explanatory journalism.
Arrangements began back in mid-March for George Escamilla to be released from the federal prison in Oakdale, Louisiana to home confinement. Instead, on May 8, two days after his scheduled release date, he became the latest person incarcerated at the prison to die from COVID-19.
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Escamilla was the eighth person to die from the disease at Oakdale, which has seen one of the worst outbreaks of any prison in the federal system. At the time of his death, he was nearly 12 years into a 16-year sentence for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and aiding and abetting. But the federal Bureau of Prisons had prioritized his release — presumably because he was imprisoned on a nonviolent offence and because he was particularly vulnerable to complications from the disease.
Escamilla was 67 years old and wheelchair-bound, having lost both legs as a result of complications from diabetes, a major underlying risk for Covid-19 patients.
He was also a father and a grandfather, and his imminent release was eagerly anticipated by those close to him.
“He was someone that whenever he called and I had a problem, I knew I could talk to him about things that I couldn’t talk to my parents about,” his granddaughter, Frida Escamilla, remembered in a phone interview with The Lens. “Because my grandpa, aside from the fact that I had a different bond with him than I do with my parents, he just had a different outlook on life. He was always trying to see the positive in everything, you know?”
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For Escamilla’s family, along with advocates and attorneys working to mitigate the damage of coronavirus behind bars, his death illustrates the failures of the federal prison system to respond to the pandemic. They have questioned the necessity of keeping non-violent offenders incarcerated — particularly those who are medically vulnerable — and the lack of urgency shown by correctional institutions to release prisoners from custody.
According to the federal Bureau of Prisons website, there are currently 3,379 prisoners in custody who have tested positive for Covid-19, and 49 prisoners have died from the disease. Public health experts have warned that prisons and jails are uniquely susceptible to the spread of the virus due to the inability for prisoners to practice social distancing and, in many cases, the lack of hygienic products provided to them.
In response to the threat, US Attorney General William Barr has sent two memos to the federal Bureau of Prisons urging officials to review and release prisoners to home confinement in order to slow the spread of the disease in federal facilities.
“Could Mr Escamilla’s death have been avoided?” wrote Jose Gonzalez-Falla, a federal public defender in Austin who had been working on getting Escamilla released, in a Monday court filing. “Was Mr Escamilla’s demise a necessary consequence of his incarceration at FCI Oakdale? Is such a fatal outcome to be expected for future medically compromised inmates in B.O.P custody as Covid-19 spreads throughout the inmate population? Mr Escamilla’s children hope that their father’s death will serve the purpose of preventing other needless inmate deaths.”
‘And that was it’
On March 18, nearly a month before Escamilla went into respiratory failure and subsequently tested positive for Covid-19, and over seven weeks before his death, he called his son Michael in Austin, Texas, to tell him that he expected to be released soon. He told him to send his driver’s licence, vehicle registration, and insurance information to the prison and asked him to install a landline in his home — which Michael did. Then, on April 9, a reentry caseworker came to Michael’s house to ensure that the landline was installed and that his house was a suitable place for his father’s home confinement. They found that it was.
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Escamilla was given a release on home confinement date of May 6. Prior to that, he was supposed to spend two weeks in quarantine at the prison.
By that time, the coronavirus outbreak at Federal Correctional Complex, Oakdale had become serious. On March 29, the first federal prisoner to die from the disease was an Oakdale inmate named Patrick Jones. Around the same time, The Lens reported that the prison had stopped testing symptomatic inmates for the coronavirus due to “sustained transmission” at the facility.
On April 3, US Attorney General William Barr wrote a memo to the director of the Bureau of Prisons ordering supervised release or transfer for inmates in facilities with outbreaks. The memo specifically mentioned Oakdale.
“For all inmates, you deem suitable candidates for home confinement, you are directed to immediately process them for transfer and then immediately transfer them following a 14-day quarantine at an appropriate BOP facility, or, in appropriate cases subject to your case-by-case discretion, in the residence to which the inmate is being transferred,” Barr wrote.
FCC Oakdale is made up of three separate facilities. The outbreak began at FCI Oakdale I, a low-security prison that is currently holding around 1,000 prisoners. But on April 7, two days before the staff from the halfway house inspected Escamilla’s son’s home in Austin, The Lens reported that the virus had spread to a minimum-security camp at the complex. By that time five prisoners at FCI Oakdale I had already died.
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Escamilla was one of about 140 prisoners being held at the camp, all living in a dorm-style setting with bunk beds about three feet apart.
But despite the proven threat of the virus, Escamilla’s high-risk factors, and the fact that he appeared to have already been cleared for home confinement, Escamilla was not immediately transferred, and he had not yet been put into a 14-day quarantine. He remained in the minimum security prison camp until April 15, when he developed respiratory failure, was taken to a local hospital and tested positive for Covid-19 .
It wasn’t until April 30 — over two weeks after his hospitalisation — when Escamilla’s condition declined and he was put on a ventilator, that the prison called his sons to inform them he was in the hospital and had tested positive.
“He was on a ventilator, and they had to sedate him,” his son George Jr said BOP officials told him when they finally called. “But they told us he is stable. He’s fighting. All of his organs are fine. The liver, the kidney, the heart, everything’s fine. We just have to sedate him. That went on for three days.”
“Then they called us again; they told us that his kidney was not reacting to the medicine, that his blood pressure went up, but that he was still fighting. They called us again two days later and they told us that the kidney had shut down and that he wasn’t reacting to the medicine they were giving him.”
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George Escamilla with his grandson Sebastian. Provided to The Lens by George Jr. Escamilla
By that time it was nearing the date when Escamilla was supposed to be released. But instead of Michael going to pick him up from prison to bring him back home where he would be reunited with his family, his other son, Geoge Escamilla, Jr, drove with his wife to the hospital in Alexandria, Louisiana, where Escamilla was on life support.
“We were there when he died,” George Jr said. “We could only see him through the window for five minutes. And that was it.”
The Bureau of Prisons confirmed Escamilla’s death on May 9, in a press release. In response to questions from The Lens, Emery Nelson, a spokesperson for the Bureau, declined to comment on Escamilla’s case, citing privacy concerns.
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‘I would like for you to put in bold letters that we do hold the prison responsible for this’
“I can’t understand it,” said George Escamilla, Jr. “I am holding the people at FCI accountable for it, and BOP. Because I don’t see why when my brother’s home got approved, why couldn’t they call him, and tell him, ‘Hey, come and get your dad,’ you know? Because he was a non-violent offender.”
George Escamilla, Sr. had been arrested in 2008 in Austin and pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and aiding and abetting. He was given a 20-year sentence, which was reduced to 16 years following a change in federal sentencing guidelines.
At the time of his death, Escamilla had served nearly 12 years of his sentence. He had been at FCC Oakdale since 2018, according to the BOP. At the time he contracted the coronavirus he was being held in a minimum-security satellite camp at the prison, reserved for the lowest risk prisoners.
Escamilla had petitioned for early release due to his medical conditions before. In 2019, following the passage of the First Step Act — federal criminal justice reform legislation that expanded the criteria in which courts can grant compassionate release — he appealed to the warden of Oakdale, Rod Myers, for a reduction in his sentence. When the warden denied his appeal, Escamilla filed a motion in federal court.
US District Court Judge Lee Yeakel, of the Western District of Texas in Austin, denied his motion, writing that despite Escamilla’s health problems, the court found “no compelling or extraordinary reasons that warrant a reduction” in his sentence.
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“Although Escamilla indicates he is committed to a wheelchair and suffers from other medical conditions, he fails to show his ability to provide self-care within the environment of a correctional facility is substantially diminished,” the judge wrote. “Additionally, as noted by the warden, Escamilla’ s medical conditions are not solely related to the ageing process and he fails to show why conventional treatment promises no substantial improvement to his mental or physical condition.”
In his motion, Escamilla described the difficulties of daily activities such as getting in and out of bunk and using the restroom. In previous court filings, from 2018, Escamilla said he relied on the compassion of other inmates to assist him in his daily activities.
“Self-care is extremely difficult for me and I am confined to my wheelchair 100% of my waking hours,” he wrote. “Moreover, my quality of life is dramatically diminished, and the cost of care is enormous to the BOP compared to ambulatory and non-debilitated inmates.”
“I’ve been incarcerated before, and I know the way they feel about prisoners,” Michael Escamilla said. “But my dad was a non-threat. He was a sick old man. So, why didn’t he get released before?”
On April 6, three days after Barr issued the memo directing the BOP to review all prisoners at Oakdale for home confinement, the ACLU filed a federal lawsuit requesting the immediate release of all medically vulnerable prisoners from the prison.
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They argued that Barr’s memo did not require the BOP to act with appropriate urgency, and left too much in the hands of prison staff, who they argued could not be trusted to expedite releases.
“Critical decisions are left entirely to the discretion of BOP personnel, who have already demonstrated that they lack the expertise and resources to implement AG Barr’s directives and otherwise deal with the COVID-19 outbreak at Oakdale,” the lawsuit read. “Further, there is no indication how many people incarcerated at Oakdale will be considered and approved for transfer to home confinement. The only appropriate response to this emergency is immediate intervention by the Court.”
It called the case-by-case review that Barr called for both “unnecessary” — due to the fact that Oakdale is a low-security facility — and “inadequate to the moment.”
That lawsuit was dismissed by Judge Terry Doughty of the US District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, who ruled that he did not have the authority to mandate releases or home confinement and that doing so would make the court a “de facto ‘super’ warden of Oakdale.”
“My dad being there, with no legs, in a wheelchair, I don’t know why they waited so long to release him,” Michael said.
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“I would like for you to put in bold letters that we do hold the prison responsible for this.”
“Mr Escamilla’s death is a tragic example of BOP’s failure to improve conditions at Oakdale and heed Attorney General Barr’s urgent command, more than five weeks ago, to ‘immediately maximize’ transfers,” said Bruce Hamilton, an attorney for the ACLU of Louisiana. “Mr Escamilla’s death was preventable and avoidable, but Oakdale has obviously failed to prevent the spread of coronavirus inside the prison and protect its most vulnerable population. Mr Escamilla was in no way a threat to public safety, and his death is a reminder of federal officials’ inexcusable failure to protect the people in their custody.”
George Escamilla’s granddaughter Frida, who is 23, said that caring for her grandfather when he got out of prison was going to be a family effort.
“Taking care of him was going to be a priority,” she said, “not only for me, but I know for everyone — my uncles, my dad, my brother, my mom — we all knew that we were going to have to take care of him since he didn’t have legs, and he was also a diabetic.”
“We grew up with him,” she said. “We were always at his house. We would get out of school and go to my grandpa’s house. That was our routine for a few years before he had gone to jail. He has always been in my life since we were little. While he was in prison, he always gave me a lot of life lessons. He always made sure that I knew that school was a number one priority, he wanted me to graduate college, which I am in the process of. He always said that the last thing he would want for any of his grandchildren was for them to end up in prison. He wanted all of us to learn from the mistakes that he made, you know?”
“Ultimately, aside from my grandpa’s mistakes in life, he was a caring man,” Frida said. “He was very selfless. If he had something and you needed it, he was willing to give it to you. He meant no harm to anyone. He had a pure heart, and he was looking forward to coming out to be with his family.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--A Moment Of Kindness: Teacher Makes Thousands Of Face Visors

A Minute Of Kindness: Teacher Makes Thousands Of Face Visors
Anna Henderson is usually a biology teacher with a hobby of shoe making, but since lockdown began, she’s found herself making thousands of visors. Not only for NHS workers on the frontline, but for local businesses and individuals.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--Coronavirus: Easing Of Lockdown, Economy Plunges And Three Other Things You Need To Know

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People in England will now be allowed to spend more time outside, meet a friend at the park and view a potential new home as the government begins to relax coronavirus lockdown measures despite the death toll continuing to rise.
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According to figures released on Monday, 32,692 people have now died in the UK – an increase of 210 on the previous 24 hours.
Here’s what you need to know today:
Statista Statista
Easing of lockdown
Changes in the guidelines, which come into force from Wednesday, have caused confusion and anger – as people remain unable to visit relatives or friends at their homes, but can now be shown around a property for sale.
The move to unlock the housing market will enable buyers and renters to complete purchases and view properties in person, while visiting estate agents, developer sales offices or show homes will also be allowed.
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The government estimates more than 450,000 buyers and renters have been unable to progress their plans to move house since lockdown measures were introduced in March.
Unlimited exercise, sunbathing and meeting one person from another household in a public space will also be permitted in England from Wednesday, as long as the two-metre rule is respected, while golf clubs, tennis courts and angling have been given the green light.
Restrictions on how far people can travel to get to the countryside, national parks and beaches in England have also been lifted – but people have been warned to respect local communities, keep their distance from others and avoid hotspots or busy areas.
UK economy shrinks by 2%
The UK economy shrank by 2% in the first quarter of 2020 as the coronavirus crisis saw activity contract at a record pace in March, official figures have shown.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said activity plunged 5.8% in March, sending first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) tumbling in the biggest fall since the end of 2008 at the height of the financial crisis.
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The latest figures show the first direct effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the UK economy after the country was placed in lockdown to control the spread of the virus.
GDP fell 5.8% in March; services (-6.2%) and construction (-5.9%) both saw record monthly falls, while manufacturing also fell 4.6% https://t.co/MEDDRForLF pic.twitter.com/7Lap3dyeXv — Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) May 13, 2020
But with the lockdown only coming into place on March 23, the second quarter will show the full hit on the economy after the UK ground to a standstill.
Millions of vulnerable people at risk ‘if forced back to work’
Researchers say around 8 million people with underlying health conditions should be exempted from government plans to get the UK back to work.
Those under the age of 70 with conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease, were not covered in the government’s 51-page report on how the lockdown is to be eased.
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A University College London study published in the Lancet on Wednesday has called for clearer guidelines as such people were also not told to shield themselves for three months from when lockdown measures were introduced.
Dr Amitava Banerjee from the UCL Institute of Health Informatics, who led the study, told the Guardian that the government is “only ever talking about the extremely vulnerable – they are rare in the population, whereas these diseases we are looking at are some of the commonest chronic diseases”.
Tui to axe 8,000 jobs
The Tui Group is looking to cut 8,000 roles worldwide with the firm calling Covid-19 the “greatest crisis the industry… has faced”.
The group posted loses of 845.8 million euro (£747m) in the first half of 2020, compared to 289.1 million (£255m) in the same period 12 months previously.
The company said: “We are targeting to permanently reduce our overhead cost base by 30% across the entire group.
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“This will have an impact on potentially 8,000 roles globally that will either not be recruited or reduced.”
Mexico death toll ‘five times higher than government figures’
The Mexican government is massively underreporting the country’s coronavirus death toll, according to an investigation by Sky News.
Mexico’s health ministry has reported 38,324 cases and 3,926 deaths so far but sources told the broadcaster that these figures undercount the actual mortality rate by a factor of at least five.
A death toll close to 20,000 people would mean Mexico is the sixth hardest-hit country in the world.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--Bryan Adams Apologises For Blaming Coronavirus On ‘Bat Eating, Greedy B******s’ As PETA Comes To His

Bryan Adams Apologises For Blaming Coronavirus On ‘Bat Eating, Greedy B******s’ As PETA Comes To His Defence

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Bryan Adams has apologised for his comments blaming “bat-eating” people for causing coronavirus.
The 60-year-old singer was accused of racism after sharing an expletive-filled Instagram post on Tuesday - the day he was due to begin playing a string of dates at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
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The vegan star faced a backlash after blaming the cancelled gigs on “some fucking bat eating, wet market animal selling, virus making greedy bastards”.
Bryan Adams Tristar Media via Getty Images
On Tuesday evening, the Canadian star apologised to “all that took offence” to the post, saying his intention had been to promote veganism.
He said: “No excuse, I just wanted to have a rant about the horrible animal cruelty in these wet markets being the possible source of the virus, and promote veganism.
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“I have love for all people and my thoughts are with everyone dealing with this pandemic around the world.”
The president of the Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice claimed the Summer Of 69 singer’s original comments would intensify “racist hatred against Chinese”.
“This is so irresponsible,” Amy Go told Canada’s CBC News.
However, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), which had recently featured an interview with the singer on its website, leaped to his defence.
In a statement to Billboard, the animal rights organisation’s senior VP Dan Mathews said: “Bryan Adams echoes the frustrations of millions of people who are outraged that the violent meat trade has once again been allowed to devastate human health.
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“Wet markets and disease-ridden slaughterhouses around the world are superhighways for contagion and must be closed now. Despite conspiracy theories, credible experts such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Jane Goodall, the World Health Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have repeatedly warned about the hazards to human health when animals are captured, confined and killed.
“Humans brought this pandemic upon themselves through their addiction to meat, and the surest way to prevent future outbreaks is to stop supporting slaughter by going vegan.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--Tui To Axe 8,000 Jobs Due To Coronavirus Pandemic

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The Tui Group is looking to cut 8,000 roles worldwide with the firm calling Covid-19 the “greatest crisis the industry… has faced”.
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The group posted loses of 845.8 million euro (£747m) in the first half of 2020, compared to 289.1 million (£255m) in the same period 12 months previously.
The company said: “We are targeting to permanently reduce our overhead cost base by 30% across the entire group.
“This will have an impact on potentially 8,000 roles globally that will either not be recruited or reduced.”
The company’s report said: “The tourism industry has weathered a number of macroeconomic shocks throughout the most recent decades, however the Covid-19 pandemic is unquestionably the greatest crisis the industry and Tui has ever faced.”
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It added that loses were also borne as a result of the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max aircraft after two crashes with other airlines.
Tui chief executive Fritz Joussen said the company should “emerge from the crisis stronger”.
He added: “It will be a different Tui and it will find a different market environment than before the pandemic.
“This will require cuts: in investments, in costs, in our size and our presence around the world. We must be leaner than before, more efficient, faster and more digital.”
The holiday industry, particularly airlines, have been hit hard by the ongoing pandemic with holidays abroad virtually impossible for much of the world’s population.
Last month British Airways announced 12,000 workers would be made redundant as it is expected to take “several years” for the airline industry to recover.
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Just a week later, Virgin Atlantic said it would axe 3,150 jobs – around a third of its workforce.
Chief executive Shai Weiss blamed the move on “unprecedented market conditions” as a result of the virus which had “severely reduced revenues”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--14 Small Self-Care Tips That Will Make A Big Difference During The Coronavirus

With everything going on in the world right now, self-care may not be high on your priority list. But it should be. “During crisis, self-care is often the first to go and the last to integrate back into our lives,” San Diego therapist Jennifer Chappell Marsh told HuffPost. Perhaps you’ve been neglecting self-care because you think it’s selfish to focus on yourself when so many others are struggling. In reality, taking care of yourself will help you show up for those who need you. “Focusing on personal needs isn’t selfish — it actually increases our capacity to care for others,” Chappell Marsh said. “Airline attendants say it well: If the plane is going down, place the oxygen mask on yourself first before turning to help others. This is absolutely critical. If we don’t, we may not be able to help anyone.” We asked wellness experts to share self-care tips that are easy and accessible, even during a global pandemic.
1. Make a list of activities that feel restorative to you right now.
It could be taking a walk outside, petting your dog, meditating, baking, drawing, organising your wardrobe, listening to a podcast or anything else you enjoy that alleviates stress.
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“Save it in your phone or wherever is easily accessible,” said Lauren Donelson, a writer and yoga teacher in Seattle who’s studying to be a therapist. “Ideally, you would make this list on a day when you’re feeling pretty good, so that when you feel burnt out — which happens to everyone — you don’t have to then think of self-care activities.”
2. Identify what you’re grateful for.
There’s a lot happening in the world to be upset, angry and scared about, especially right now. But in these darker moments, finding things — big and small — that we’re thankful for is even more essential.
“In order to challenge our tendency to be pulled towards negative thoughts, we can turn our attention to what’s good in our lives,” said Tamara Levitt, head of mindfulness at the meditation app Calm. “Gratitude, like anything, is a practice, and neuroscience shows us that if we make efforts to cultivate appreciation, we’ll find more to be grateful for, even during times of loss and grief.”
Each day, write down three things you’re thankful for in a journal, save them in the Notes app on your phone or share them out loud with a loved one.
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“It could be the health care workers or service industry, the weather or a perfect piece of toast,” said Pasadena, California, psychologist Ryan Howes, founder of the online Mental Health Boot Camp. “Your effort to search for goodness in the midst of this chaos is good exercise for your brain and mood.”
3. Set boundaries with work.
With many people working from home during the pandemic, living spaces now double as office spaces, blurring the line between work and play.
“It can be tempting to answer emails as soon as you wake up in the morning or respond to texts from your boss when you’re eating dinner,” Donelson said.
To create more structure, try to stick to the same start and stop times for your workday as you did pre-Covid-19.
“If you normally didn’t get to the office until 9am, don’t sign on to work until 9am,” Donelson said. “And stop working when you would typically leave the office.”
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When you’re not on the clock, put your laptop and any other work materials in a closet, bin or drawer until you need them again. Out of sight, out of mind.
“Focusing on personal needs isn’t selfish — it actually increases our capacity to care for others.” - Jennifer Chappell Marsh, marriage and family therapist
4. Make a “done” list.
Many of us aren’t as productive during a pandemic as we are under normal circumstances — and that’s totally understandable. But staring at a long list of unfinished tasks on your to-do list is only going to make you feel worse about yourself. Instead, Howes suggests compiling a “done” list of all the items you’ve already accomplished.
“Include all the tasks, large and small, that you’ve successfully completed, from grocery shopping to folding clothes to getting kids through a day of school,” he said. “Pat yourself on the back for producing anything at all in a time where any task can feel Herculean.”
5. Put limits on your news intake.
“Yes, staying up to date with the news and latest developments is important ― but not at the cost of your sanity,” said writer and artist Meera Lee Patel, author of “Start Where You Are: A Journal for Self-Exploration.” “When the news becomes a source of dread, anxiety, and futility, it’s time to take a step back.”
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To curb your consumption, block out specific windows of time where you let yourself read or watch the news and try to avoid checking for updates otherwise.
“Respect the boundaries you set,” Levitt said. “And if you notice that even a small dose of news feels to be too much, be mindful of how you are feeling and pull yourself away.”
6. Crack open a book.
Nathana Parise / EyeEm via Getty Images Put down your smartphone and pick up a book.
“Pick up that book you’ve been meaning to read and try to get 30 minutes of reading in a day,” said Charlee Atkins, founder of Le Sweat TV. “It doesn’t have to be a straight 30 minutes. You could also break it up, doing something like 10 minutes of reading three times a day.”
7. Let yourself grieve losses big and small.
People are mourning all kinds of losses right now: the loss of their loved ones, their jobs, their health, their plans, their normal routines, just to name a few.
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“Grieve, too, what might feel like waning sanity with the inundating stress of your health care job or three kids at home,” said Denver psychotherapist Brittany Bouffard.
Take a breath and let yourself feel whatever you’re feeling without judgment. Then, when you’re ready, grab a pen and paper and write down all of the supportive forces in your life, Bouffard suggested.
They could be “personal, professional, financial, familial,” she said. “The top-tier supportive friends, mentoring, the amazing supervisor, the kind wedding vendors, the things you do have, your personal strengths or your ability to survive difficult times before and now.”
8. Pause to check in with yourself every day.
If you feel like all the days and weeks just seem to blend together in quarantine, you’re not alone. Taking the time to check in with yourself daily can bring focus and awareness to an otherwise dizzying time.
Howes suggested asking yourself these three questions: “What is captivating your thoughts right now?”; “What emotions or physical sensations are you experiencing or feeling?” and “What do you want to accomplish today?”
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Pairing this practice with an already ingrained part of your routine, like brushing your teeth or making coffee in the morning, will make it easier to stick to, Howes said.
9. Try a breathing exercise.
Dean Mitchell via Getty Images Breathing exercises, like box breathing, can be grounding.
One of Chapell Marsh’s favourite soothing practices is called “box breathing.” The technique, outlined below, is popular among Navy SEALs and only takes five minutes:
Step 1: Inhale for four seconds.
Step 2: Hold air in your lungs for four seconds.
Step 3: Exhale for four seconds, emptying all of the air in your lungs.
Step 4: Hold your lungs empty for four seconds.
Step 5: Repeat for five minutes.
10. Work out.
Gyms are closed, you can’t do group fitness classes and even exercising outdoors may be hard to do safely, depending on where you live. That said, moving your body can do wonders for your mood and mental health.
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“Less movement, plus isolation, plus a stressful situation equals potential for lower mood and exacerbation of depression or anxiety symptoms,” said Chicago therapist Anna Poss. “While there is only so much we may have control over in this situation, there is a proliferation of free exercise and movement resources online.”
And you don’t need to do a high-intensity workout to reap the benefits.
“There are many free videos that are body-positive, mindful of folks with chronic pain or disease and are designed for people with physical limitations,” Poss added. “Even someone like me, who has never been a fan of working out, has been able to find enjoyable forms of exercise at home.”
11. Create a bedtime routine to encourage good sleep habits.
Getting a good night’s sleep can set a positive tone for your day and help you better manage stress and anxiety. To facilitate this, create a nighttime routine that helps your body wind down and puts you in sleep mode.
“Try including a hot bath or shower because the hot water can help lower your core body temperature, which is needed to initiate and maintain a good night’s sleep,” said Alissa Rumsey, founder of Alissa Rumsey Nutrition and Wellness. “That plus Sleepytime tea and a good book ― and no Instagram scrolling! ― and you’ll be out in no time.”
12. Stretch your body.
Marko Geber via Getty Images If quarantine has you feeling extra tense, some light stretching can help.
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When you can’t muster up the energy for a workout, stretching is a more manageable option that still benefits your body and mind. Those who are working from home during the pandemic may be dealing with aches and pains as a result of their poor ergonomic set-ups (e.g. working from bed or the couch). Plus, it’s common for people to generally hold emotional stress and tension in their bodies.
“Choose two to three stretches that are your go-to stretches and set a timer on your phone and try to hold each exercise for two minutes,” Atkins suggested.
You can also use a foam roller, massage stick or lacrosse ball for some self-myofascial release, which has been shown to decrease activity in the sympathetic nervous system that’s responsible for the fight-or-flight stress response.
“Especially on your upper back where a lot of stress lives, use a foam roller on the ground or a peanut roller against the wall,” said Nicole Haas, a physical therapist in Boulder, Colorado. “The amount of pressure should feel good, not bad, in order to encourage your brain to let go of that heightened response of the sympathetic system.”
“Inducing that relaxation response can go a long way for managing the stress and effects on your body,” she added.
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13. Keep a journal.
If racing thoughts are weighing you down, consider starting a journaling practice. Setting aside some time to self-reflect will help quiet your busy mind and clarify and process what you’re experiencing.
“If this is something you’re struggling with, try taking 10 minutes each day to reflect on how you’re feeling, writing down any worries or concerns and acknowledging that it’s OK to feel these things,” Rumsey said.
Not sure where to start? You can find some journaling exercises online or in books that contain prompts and questions designed to sharpen your introspection skills.
“Regular self-reflection helps you stay connected to yourself, which means you’ll maintain your internal balance and strength when external elements in your life begin to shift,” Patel said.
14. Be extra gentle with yourself.
Not firing on all cylinders these days? Cut yourself some slack. Chappell Marsh said many of her clients are giving themselves a hard time for feeling less motivated than usual, when really they should be practicing self-compassion.
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“Instead of beating yourself up because you are not ‘levelling-up’ right now, try to validate yourself with kind self talk,” she said. “Like, ‘This is difficult.’ ‘My body is responding to an impending threat.’ ‘I’m not alone.’”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--16 Creative Ways Parents Are Getting Some Alone Time In Lockdown

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Getting alone time as a parent was already a challenge. Add in the 24/7 family togetherness of social distancing amid the Covid-19 pandemic, and it seems almost impossible.
But many mums and dads have gotten crafty and figured out some new strategies for carving out a little solo break from the kiddos.
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We asked the HuffPost Parents Facebook community to share the creative ways they’re getting alone time in lockdown. Scroll down for 16 tactics for inspiration.
Pretending To Be In A Meeting
“Keeping my headphones on after my meeting is over to make them think I’m still unavailable.” ― Julie Marie
Going For A Drive
“I have told my kids I’m going to the store so I can drive around and sit in the car alone. When I came home with no food, I had to lie and say I forgot my wallet at home. Sometimes you do what you have to do to keep your sanity!” ― Lori Gottman
“Have the older sibling watch the younger one and go for a drive with the music blasting. Sometimes I’ll do it alone and sometimes with hubby. It’s very therapeutic and helps clear your head.” ― Tara Main
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“Petrol prices as they are, I either send my husband to take a drive with our 4-year-old or simply grab my keys and go alone. We have plenty of rural scenery to enjoy, and the weather’s been exquisite. Sunroof open and feel-good tunes going!” ― Theresa Carroll
Retreating To A Basement Or Garage Oasis
“I have a milk crate down in the washing room in the basement. I will sit down there because the family knows there are spiders in the basement and won’t follow me. Sometimes I hide snacks behind the washing powder.” ― Adrienne Arrington
“I sat in the garage alone last night. It was so quiet and peaceful.” ― Theresa Singh
Going In Mum ‘Timeout’
“I tell them I’m in trouble and I have to be on timeout; one minute for every year old I am.” ― Elle Jay
Sitting In The Car
“I work in a hospital, not with any patients but in an inner-office. My husband works from home with the kids. Some days, I go into work early to attend meetings. On those days, my eight-hour workday is 7am to 3.30pm, but I don’t always tell my husband when I’m leaving work early. I’ll just drive around or hit up McDonald’s and sit in my car until 5pm, the usual time I get home.” ― Melissa Peña
“I sit in my car.” ― Lisa Stephenson-Horne
Donating Blood
“I gave blood last week to get some alone time, and help.” ― Karen Brehm Bogard
Taking Long Walks
“My husband and I go for a 3-mile dog walk most nights. It gives the kids their Fortnite time, gives us alone time, and gets us some exercise. Everyone wins!” ― April Adams
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“I went on my first walk alone yesterday and it was e’rethang. Did it again today. I adore my husband and son (and cat), but it felt good to just be with me, myself and I.” ― Naomi Raquel
Hiding In The Bathroom
“I lock myself in the bathroom for a bath. Sometimes I tell the kids I have to go to the shop so they don’t find me there.” ― Michelle Bradley
“Hide in the bathroom ― that is the first place my kids go if they cannot find me. I now hide in my car or in the closet. I also put my noise-canceling headphones on.” ― Mary Mathews
“I had to take a conference call in the bathroom last week because it was the only place no one would follow me! It hasn’t been all that bad, but that day was exceptionally trying.” ― Anne-Marie Caron
Giving The Kids Distractions
“Mine are 5 and 8, and one thing that has been great is when they FaceTime their friends. They get a play date and I get a break!” ― Corie Jack
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“I have four daughters between 3 and 10, and I find arts and crafts is the best way to occupy all four of them at once. Collage, colouring books, play dough, etc. The last time I tried to hide in the bathroom, the 3-year-old peed on the rug, so I’m having to be more creative.” ― Alex Scott
“Give my sons their iPads and lock myself in my bedroom.” ― Sharon Briggs
Volunteering
“I volunteer at my local farmers market on Saturday mornings to get alone time. After my shift is done, I get to come home with fresh veggies, a refreshed mind, plus I get a vitamin D boost!” ― Jessica Marie Rivera
Getting Up Earlier
“I did manage to place an order and scheduled pickup EARLY, knowing no one would want to come with me. It was glorious to be alone for an hour!” ― Anne-Marie Caron
“Wake up with the sun ― house is quiet!” ― Sandra Tuckman
Staying Up Later
“Staying up way later than everyone to read or watch my fave TV.” ― MMurphy April
″‘Bedtime. Off you go.’” ― Christine Brady
Spending Time In The Yard
“I got a hammock, and I spend my alone time outside getting fresh air listening to audiobooks or podcasts. The kids are about 80% respectful of my alone time.” ― Amber Nation-Martin
“If it’s just me and the kiddo, I’ll occasionally put him in the Pack ’n Play or the crib with toys so I can get some time away. If it’s been a very stressful day, I’ll even take a step out back and breathe in some fresh air and take in some sun.” ― Anastasia Rose
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Switching Off With A Partner
“I work still (seniors support services), whereas my wife is laid off for the duration of the closures ― which means she’s pretty much trapped at home with our two (8 and 10). We do have a trampoline, which she sends them out to for short breaks, but really, it’s all about waiting for me to get home and provide relief so that she can go for a walk, a drive or just lock herself in the bedroom and watch a show. As for alone time with each other...,*sigh*” ― Brett O’Reilly
“My husband works, but when he gets home I’ll often put the toddler in his office with him to take bathroom breaks on my own, or ask him to watch him so I can fold washing, walk to get the mail, run to pick up some milk or bread or even beer, or just to drive around by myself to catch Pokemon in parking lots.” ― Anastasia Rose
Scheduling A Collective Break
“My kids are 10, 5 and 3 years old. They get tired of my asking them to do chores as much as I get tired of tending to them. So we talk, and we all take a break, usually by the end of the afternoon. They get their tablets, or watch whatever they choose on TV, or the little ones take a looong bath in the tub with some toys while the grown-ups get some rest. I really don’t mind them physically close to me (don’t lock myself in another room), as long as during that break they are playing or doing something else rather than in my face going ‘Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, I want this and that.’” ― Melina Rojas
Savouring Every Brief Moment
“You’re getting alone time? Only time I get alone time is when I take a shower... rosé margarita included.” ― Adrienne Marquez
“My alone time is walking to the mailbox and back every day. I have a 4- and a 2-year-old and teaching my first-graders virtually.” ― Kristin DuBois
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--Confused, Anxious, Exhausted? How To Take Back Control Of Your Emotions

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We’re here to guide you through the coronavirus lockdown. Sign up to the Life newsletter for daily tips, advice, how-tos and escapism.
Confused, anxious, exhausted – these are just some of the emotions Britain has endured as a collective, as last week’s front page promises of “freedom” quickly turned into the drip feeding of information about the updated lockdown guidance.
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Mass confusion first reared its head when the UK government announced its new ‘Stay Alert’ slogan for England – while Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland stuck firmly to the ‘Stay Home’ message. Then came prime minister’s Sunday evening address to the nation, which has since been described as “divisive, confusing and vague”.
Things ramped in the 24 hours after Boris Johnson’s speech, when foreign secretary Dominic Raab gave incorrect advice on meeting parents in the park. The government then unveiled its 51-page lockdown recovery strategy, which happened to contradict some of what had been said the night before.
The past few days have been mentally exhausting. And therapists have told HuffPost UK the confusion caused by this mixed messaging – plus the lack of clarity – has lead to people feeling even more anxious during what is already a troubling time.
Jennie Cummings-Knight, a psychotherapeutic counsellor and BACP member, also believes the prolonged uncertainty, where none of us know when life will go back to normal – or if, indeed, it will go back to how it was before – is weighing on people’s minds. “I think that’s really hard,” she adds.
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So, how can you keep these feelings of anxiety at bay?
1. Accept this is how you feel
Feeling confused, agitated or frustrated this week? You’re not alone – remind yourself of that. It’s good to acknowledge how you’re feeling and actually sit with it for a bit – don’t try to push it down or hide it.
“I think a lot of people are perhaps trying to be falsely jolly about the whole thing, and I don’t think that’s helpful,” says Cummings-Knight.
“We need to acknowledge that it’s difficult for us all and it does bring up very primitive emotions of fear and anxiety. No certainty is in place at the moment.”
2. Limit your news updates
It might seem obvious but if you’re finding the confusion – and subsequent information overload – to be a bit much, step away from the news and social media. “Limit exposure to updates online,” advises Cummings-Knight. “Perhaps do a quick update daily, if you must, maybe not as often as that.”
One reason we might be unable to prise ourselves away from social media and the news, she adds, is that we’re looking for a way out of the current situation. “We’re so keen to [do this] that we’re trawling through the information, [asking] what can I find to make things a bit easier?”
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But it’s unlikely you’re going to find it. Instead, turn to self care on days when your emotions feel up in the air.
3. Remind yourself of the basics
Updating yourself on the new lockdown guidance, including details from the 51-page report on the UK’s recovery strategy, is pretty exhausting. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, take it back to basics.
What do we absolutely need to be doing right now? We need to remember the basic hygiene messages and social distancing rules that have been present throughout the outbreak. “They’ve been consistent,” says Cummings-Knight. “So you’ve got your attention to personal hygiene, the risk of transmission through touch, social distancing, and the essential guidance of limiting contact with other people.”
Try to keep these fundamental rules in mind when you go to the supermarket, consider returning to work, or meet a mate in the park. “People feel better when they feel they’ve got some control,” she adds. “It’s that feeling that you’re doing something and you’re playing your part.”
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4. Pay attention to your mental health
Throughout this pandemic, Cummings-Knight urges everyone to keep a close eye on their mental health, and treat it as importantly as physical health.
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If you’re able to, prioritise a daily walk to get fresh air and a change of scenery, she advises – and don’t be afraid to get creative while following the guidelines. There have been instances of people considered clinically vulnerable going on an early morning walk, for example, to reduce contact with others. Remember, if we don’t exercise in some way, we’re likely to have other health problems.
Human interaction can be really important for mental health, especially for those who live alone. As of Wednesday, the new advice is that you can only meet one person from outside your household in the park or a public space – remember to stay two metres away from each other if you do meet.
For those struggling to get by, have a browse through HuffPost UK’s How I Cope series, where we share the self-care tips that are helping us get through – and adjust to – the coronavirus pandemic.
5. Create your own certainty
People are emotionally torn at the moment, says Lucy Fuller, a UKCP psychotherapist and Counselling Directory member. “There’s the fear of the virus which has been drummed into us for quite some time and there’s this real need to get back to normal – along with the anxiety of what the new normal is,” she says.
She acknowledges that this emotional state can cause anxiety, so urges people to make their own certainty for what happens next. “Think carefully about how you want things to be,” she suggests.
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People should make their own plan, while adhering to the government guidelines, and then adopt that plan with certainty, she says, knowing that they’ve weighed up everything and decided: that’s best for me.
“Break it into manageable chunks and allow yourself to change your mind,” she advises. “So if you go to work and social distancing isn’t happening, you have already said to yourself: if it doesn’t look safe, I’m going to come away again.”
You might decide you still want to stay at home as much as possible and continue with your one daily walk – or perhaps meet up with one friend in the park once a week. Whatever you decide, make it clear in your own mind.
Useful websites and helplines:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--You Need to Try M&S’ Ultimate Family Pasta Bake Recipe At Home

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We’re here to guide you through the coronavirus lockdown. Sign up to the Life newsletter for daily tips, advice, how-tos and escapism.
‘What’s the for dinner tonight?’ is probably a question we’re all sick of hearing. Being in lockdown, it’s hard to think of creative ways to feed the family every day and every night – and let’s face it, we’re all getting tired of our own cooking.
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Luckily, M&S has just launched its first cookbook that’s full of fast, fresh and easy recipes that’ll shake up family meals. Using shortcuts and storecupboard staples, and if you don’t have all the ingredients simply swap for your favourite meat or veggies.
Try this foolproof speedy one-pan wonder that’s ready in less than 30 minutes.
Italian meatball and mozzarella bake
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 25 mins
M&S Food Italian meatball and mozzarella bake
Upgrade your pasta bake with the addition of M&S roasted red pepper paste for your best pasta sauce yet. Use this versatile paste to marinate meat or veg, add to dressings, top on pizza, simply serve as a dip, or use in this pasta recipe for the ultimate family supper for four.
Ingredients:
340g dried penne pasta
3 tbsp olive oil
12 M&S Italian meatballs
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Handful fresh basil leaves
190g jar Cook with M&S roasted red pepper paste
690g jar M&S Italian tomato passata
1 fresh mozzarella ball, drained and torn into chunks
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6.
2. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the pasta for 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
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3. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium heat. Drop the meatballs into the oil and fry for a few minutes, until golden brown all over.
4. Add the garlic and half of the basil leaves to the casserole and fry for 1 further minute. Add the Cook with M&S roasted red pepper paste and the passata and bring to the boil. Remove the casserole from the heat, stir in the cooked pasta and season.
5. Dot the mozzarella chunks over the top, drizzle with oil, and scatter over the remaining basil leaves. Place in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Serve.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--This Face Cover Sock Hack Is So Simple – But Is It Effective?

Natasha Hinde Sock face masks are easy to make – but are they effective?
A TikTok video showing how to make a face cover from a sock went viral, with some saying it’s the “simplest” DIY face mask tutorial they’ve seen yet.
In the video, dance and Zumba instructor Safia Aggoune transforms a solitary striped sock into a cover that wraps around her ears in a matter of seconds – and she doesn’t even use elastic bands. Just scissors.
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Aggoune cuts off the bottom of the ankle sock so she’s left with the heel part and some fabric either side. She then cuts along the top fold of the sock, opens it up, folds it again, and cuts slits to form hooks that wrap around her ears.
Watch how she does it below.
The simplest DIY mask yet - all you is a sock and a scissors pic.twitter.com/xYU0ZjHsSV — donal scannell (@donalscannell) May 11, 2020
Face coverings are now mandatory in many places, including on public transport. See government coronavirus rules for the latest advice.
Face coverings can be a scarf, piece of cloth or mask. The aim of wearing one is to protect others from droplets you might expel from your nose and mouth, which could transmit the virus. There is also some evidence emerging to suggest they can help protect the wearer.
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How well they work in public settings will depend on many variables, such as how good the fit of the face cover is, what it’s made from, whether you put it on and take it off properly, and how you clean it.
There are studies that suggest certain materials are better. One by US-based social enterprise Smart Air looked at 30 different materials for DIY coverings, and analysed the effectiveness in filtering coronavirus-sized microparticles, as well as breathability. Denim, bed sheets (80-120 thread count), paper towels and canvas (0.4-0.5mm thick) turned out to be the best materials to use.
Experts agree face covers are better than nothing – as long as they are worn in a correct way, while adopting stringent hygiene measures.
“If it’s a very thin sock, it won’t be as effective as a thicker fabric.” - Trisha Greenhalgh, professor of primary health care services at the University of Oxford
Socks are often made from different materials – some from polyester, others from acrylic, nylon, spandex and polypropylene or a mixture of these. So, are they protective enough for a face cover?
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William Keevil, professor of environmental healthcare at the University of Southampton, says T-shirt material is probably better than a sock. “A US company showed that open weave fabrics are not good filters – so socks might be worse than T-shirts,” he says.
However, Trisha Greenhalgh, professor of primary health care services at the University of Oxford, says it “depends on the sock”. But ultimately, it’s best to use another material to layer up. “The main thing I’d want to see [in a face cover] is a double layer of cloth, and preferably two different fabrics as they’d have different physical and electrostatic properties,” she says.
“Also, if it’s a very thin sock, it won’t be as effective as a thicker fabric.”
So it’s probably best to team your sock with another material. Greenhalgh recommends sticking a mini panty liner to the inside of the sock mask. “Panty liners have a waterproof backing,” she explains. If you don’t have a panty liner, a handkerchief would do the trick, she adds.
Alternatively, you could pop a bit of paper towel or kitchen roll between your face and the sock to act as a secondary filter, as this material scored highly in the study on DIY masks. Simply bin the paper towel when you get home and wash the material mask.
When I try the sock hack myself, I mess it up the first time by cutting the slits for my ears on the wrong side of the sock. However it’s pretty easy when I do it the second time and follow the video a little more closely.
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My advice? Go for a larger sock if you can – mine are quite small, so the cover pulls my ears down slightly. I also notice that tiny holes become visible in the fabric when I stretch it across my nose, so I’ll definitely be adding another layer to the mix when wearing out and about.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-05-13--TikTok Has Become My Sanctuary From Coronavirus Anxiety

HuffPost UK Getty Images
I’ve never made it a secret that I live with general anxiety.
Strangely, it started at a life stage where my happiness levels soared – I was 19 and travelling the world and, to this day, it’s stayed close to me, become part of my identity and been in constant battle with my healthy emotional wellbeing. Panic attacks, stress migraines, dizziness, rapid breathing and irrational thoughts are typical daily symptoms for me and can be triggered by claustrophobia, feeling out of control and even the weather.
I’ve tried everything from hypnotherapy, Emotional Freedom Technique and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to homeopathy, reiki, meditation, breathing therapy and calming medication (big up Rescue Remedy), but nothing has made that life-changing switch for me.
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When the covid-19 pandemic started, I felt even more disconnected from the world than ever. Overwhelmed and upset after every news update and Twitter feed scroll, I was unable to concentrate as the world around me became bleak and blurry. My anxiety had reached a new phase – one that seemed more real, rational and frightening than I’d ever experienced before.
Then when lockdown was announced, I decided to sign up to TikTok on a whim. I knew quite a lot about the platform from a previous work project, but was keen to see if it resonated with me as a user.
“My anxiety had reached a new phase – one that seemed more real, rational and frightening than I’d ever experienced before”
After downloading the app, I was instantly hooked by the weird but buzzy content. The platform, which is blowing up amongst Generation Z (and let’s be honest, anyone else who’s on social media right now), has 800million monthly users and enables anyone to be a creator. Celebs such as Jessica Alba, Rochelle Humes and Jason Derulo have jumped on the bandwagon too, churning out quarantine content day after day.
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TikTok immediately took on a bigger meaning to me as I sat on the sofa, eyes glued to the screen – I saw past the madness of ‘smeezing’ (have you tried it yet?), kids dancing in supermarket aisles and at-home pranks and found comfort in the uplifting, energising content. This platform for positivity made me laugh and became my go-to app to switch off from all things coronavirus, which was especially effective on days that felt apocalyptic and disorientating. Injecting me with a boost of energy and appreciation, it was just what I craved.
I started following inspirational TikTok psychologists such as Dr Julie Smith and Dr Janine Kreft and searching for videos via hashtags like #anxiety, #mentalhealth and #feelgood. There was so much undiscovered content for people like me here, whether you were looking for a daily mantra or needed support during this tough time. Suddenly, instead of suffering from intense claustrophobia at home and feeling out of sorts on my daily walk, I relied on TikTok to release my nervous energy.
The platform has been key to helping me open up during this time. TikTok encourages users to share their mental health journey, spark conversations and feel part of a wider community. Of course, it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one feeling up and down, having good and bad days and suffering from intense mood swings (especially when you’ve suffered with pre-pandemic anxiety), but by hearing other people open up on TikTok, it’s inspired me to follow suit, improving my emotional wellness little by little. To my surprise, when I’ve chatted to my friends about how I’m feeling, they’ve usually felt exactly the same.
“I may have discovered TikTok therapy accidentally, but I’m certain it’s helped me get through these uncertain times”
And let’s face it, during lockdown my self-care routine has gone out of the window (cue frizzy hair and no make-up days), so the last thing I want to see is an airbrushed Instagram photo, to be honest. It’s easy to compare yourself to everyone around you when you have anxiety, so I’ve found comfort in TikTok as an unpolished platform that promotes raw, authentic content at a time where filtering is just not welcome on my social media feed.
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Finally, I’ve found the repetition of TikTok videos incredibly soothing and therapeutic. Each video ranges from 15 to 60 seconds and plays on a loop, until you scroll down to discover the next. This surge of calmness has been beneficial when I’m feeling my anxiety creep up on me as it helps me focus and resume a rational mindset. Strangely, this coping technique has been quite a saviour.
I may have discovered TikTok therapy accidentally, but I’m certain it’s helped me get through these uncertain times. Yes it’s completely unconventional, but in a world where negativity, online trolling and mental health is so prominent right now, maybe TikTok is the escape society needs in Covid-19 lockdown.
And the side effects of my new-found therapy? So far, I can only report on the rapid loss in battery life and extra cost of buying more monthly data.
Lauren Carbran is a freelance journalist. Follow her on Twitter at @LaurenCarbran
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