thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-28--Six Things You Need To Know About Coronavirus Today

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Britain came to a standstill at 11am for a minute’s silence to remember the key workers who have died during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Matt Hancock confirmed yesterday that 82 NHS workers and 16 social care staff had lost their lives to Covid-19 during the outbreak.
Meanwhile, the latest figures show:
The number of people who have died in hospitals across England, Scotland and Wales after contracting coronavirus has risen by 659 in 24 hours, taking the reported total to to 21,751.
Here’s the latest information you need to know today:
US cases pass 1 million
The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the US topped 1 million on Tuesday, representing a third of the global total.
More than 56,500 Americans have died of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus, with an average of about 2,000 a day this month, according to a Reuters tally.
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The number of confirmed US coronavirus infections passed 1 million and has doubled in 18 days. The actual number of U.S. infections is believed to be higher than the confirmed number of cases, with state public health officials cautioning that shortages of trained workers and materials have limited testing capacity, leaving many infections unrecorded.
About 30% of the American cases have occurred in New York state, the epicentre of the US outbreak, followed by New Jersey, Massachusetts, California and Pennsylvania.
The virus was first reported late last year in China and has spread worldwide and the earliest-known US deaths were in February.
The grim milestone comes as Donald Trump said he “can’t imagine why” there has been a spike in calls to poison control centres after he suggested using disinfectant to treat coronavirus.
Since the president made the controversial comments last week, multiple states and cities have reported a spike in hotline calls about exposure to disinfectant.
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The New York City Poison Control Centre received 30 calls about exposure to household chemicals in the 18 hours after Trump’s remarks, compared to only 13 during the same period last year.
President Donald Trump answers questions during the daily briefing of the coronavirus task force Win McNamee via Getty Images
Some of the NHS staff who have died after testing positive for coronavirus Various
Testing increased in care homes
All care home residents and staff will get a coronavirus test regardless of whether they have symptoms, Matt Hancock has said.
Covid-19 checks will also be rolled out to all those aged 65 and over with symptoms, and to their households.
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Speaking at the Downing Street briefing on Tuesday, the health secretary also said all workers who have to leave home to do their jobs, and their households, would be eligible for testing from Wednesday.
He said: “From construction workers to emergency plumbers, from research scientists to those in manufacturing, the expansion of access to testing will protect the most vulnerable and help keep people safe.
“It’s possible because we’ve expanded capacity for testing thus far.”
It comes as the government stretches to reach its 100,000-a-day test target by the end of April.
BA to make one-third of workers redundant
British Airways is set to make up to 12,000 workers redundant, parent company IAG said on Tuesday.
The announcement also revealed that revenues plunged 13% in the first quarter of 2020.
BA has about 42,000 staff, with 12,000 representing about 29%.
In a statement, IAG said: “In light of the impact of Covid-19 on current operations and the expectation that the recovery of passenger demand to 2019 levels will take several years, British Airways is formally notifying its trade unions about a proposed restructuring and redundancy programme.
“The proposals remain subject to consultation but it is likely that they will affect most of British Airways’ employees and may result in the redundancy of up to 12,000 of them.
“As previously announced, British Airways has availed itself of the UK’s Covid-19 job retention scheme and furloughed 22,626 employees in April.”
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John Lewis facing closures
John Lewis is “highly unlikely” to re-open all 50 John Lewis stores in the UK once the coronavirus lockdown ends.
Dame Sharon White, the new chair of the John Lewis Partnership (JLP), and her team are set to address analysts in the City on Wednesday, updating them on the company’s performance during the past week, the Press Association has reported.
JLP includes Waitrose, which has fared better during the lockdown by remaining open.
But with a major ramp-up of online operations, discussions are under way on whether it will be financially viable to reopen department stores. Several Waitrose stores have already been closed in recent years.
Retail analyst Richard Hyman said: “Does it make sense for John Lewis to close some stores? Absolutely, yes.
“No one wants to see people losing their jobs, which is what would happen, but the reality is, for the market at large, online has been getting bigger and bigger, with John Lewis at the vanguard.”
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Scotland becomes first UK nation to officially recommend face coverings
A document published by the Scottish government on Tuesday officially recommended the use of face coverings in some circumstances.
It said the evidence for their effectiveness was “limited”, but conceded: “There may be some benefit in wearing a facial covering when you leave the house and enter enclosed spaces, especially where physical distancing is more difficult and where there is a risk of close contact with multiple people you do not usually meet. [...]
“We are recommending that you consider using face coverings in the limited circumstances described above as a precautionary measure.”
Other examples include travelling on public transport or entering a food shop where it is not always possible to maintain a two-metre distance from another customer.
Coronavirus linked to 40% more deaths in England and Wales than previously thought
Coronavirus played a role in 40% more deaths in England and Wales than previously thought, the Office for National Statistics has revealed, with thousands dying with the virus in care homes.
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Figures from the ONS showed that, of all the deaths in the two countries up to April 17 (and registered to April 25), 22,300 involved Covid-19.
The death toll is 6,375 higher than previously reported by NHS England and Public Health Wales collectively, which only count deaths in hospital.
Meanwhile, it was also revealed on Tuesday that care home providers had notified the ONS of 4,343 deaths between April 10 and April 24.
Minute’s silence for key workers who have died during the coronavirus pandemic
A minute’s silence was held at 11am to remember key workers who have died during the coronavirus pandemic.
Dame Donna Kinnair, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said the tribute at 11am came from “a sombre but grateful nation”.
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Boris Johnson, who is only just back at work after he ended up in intensive care with the virus, was among those to pay respects, with government workers also having been asked to join in.
Pictured: Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak observe the minute's silence for key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak. pic.twitter.com/nOiRgfr6bM — Alan McGuinness (@Alan_McGuinness) April 28, 2020
Today Poole Hospital staff joined the #minutesilence to pay tribute to all colleagues who have sadly lost their lives in the coronavirus pandemic 💙 pic.twitter.com/Vx5QysqOGq — Poole Hospital (@Poole_Hospital) April 28, 2020
Across the trust we fell silent this morning to pay tribute to all health and social care workers who have sadly lost their lives in the coronavirus pandemic. 💚 #minutesilence pic.twitter.com/tlhrxn3gKe — North West Ambulance Service (@NWAmbulance) April 28, 2020
Doctors, nurses, paramedics and healthcare workers were all expected to pay their respects to their colleagues at hospitals and other services around the country while transport workers had also been expected to take part.
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On Monday, health secretary Matt Hancock confirmed that 82 NHS workers and 16 social care staff had lost their lives to Covid-19.
He confirmed that families of frontline NHS workers and social care staff who have died of coronavirus will get a £60,000 payout.
Bus drivers are also among those who have died carrying out their work during the pandemic. Tube and bus networks were also asked to pause for the silence so workers could honour their colleagues.
Dame Donna said: “This moment will bring together a sombre but grateful nation. Whether in nursing or driving buses, our heroes kept going to work when many had the luxury of staying at home. Nobody should go out to work and risk their life.”
Donald Trump ‘can’t imagine why’ calls about hotline calls about disinfectant have increased
Key PPE ‘not included in government’s pandemic stockpile when coronavirus hit’
NHS staff carry out coronavirus tests at a testing facility in Bracebridge Heath, Lincoln PA
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Key items of personal protective equipment (PPE) were not included in the Government’s pandemic stockpile when coronavirus reached the UK, an investigation has found.
BBC Panorama reported that gowns, visors, swabs and body bags were left out of the stockpile when it was set up in 2009. Some of the items are now in short supply.
A government spokesman told the programme that the expert committee that advises ministers on new and emerging respiratory virus threats, known as Nervtag, did not recommend stockpiling swabs and body bags.
They said the stockpile was designed for a flu pandemic, and Covid-19 has a higher hospitalisation rate.
However, Panorama reported that Nervtag said gowns, one of the items in shortest supply in the UK, should be purchased last June.
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Professor John Ashton, a public health expert who has previously criticised the government’s approach, said the failure to stockpile some items meant NHS staff were working without crucial equipment.
He told the programme: “The consequence of not planning, not ordering kit, not having stockpiles, is that we are sending into the frontline doctors, nurses, other health workers and social care workers without the equipment to keep them safe.”
A Department for Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: “This is an unprecedented global pandemic and we have taken the right steps at the right time to combat it, guided at all times by the best scientific advice.
“The government has been working day and night to battle against coronavirus, delivering a strategy designed at all times to protect our NHS and save lives.”
Volunteers in the Oxford coronavirus vaccine trial talk about why they are taking part
HuffPost UK HuffPost UK
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The trial in Oxford began last week as scientists battle to fight Covid-19, which has claimed the lives of so many people globally.
Many experts believe finding a successful vaccine is the best way to end the pandemic and prevent cases surging once lockdown ends.
Developing vaccines usually takes years, if not decades, but as speed is a priority, researchers are skipping animal research to test its safety and effectiveness and going straight to trialling it on humans.
Scientists at the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford have begun administering the trial injections which will be given to more than 800 volunteers.
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But what kind of person does it take to volunteer for an experimental vaccine trial?
Lydia Guthrie, 47, who lives in Oxford, said it is something she feels is necessary to help control the pandemic crippling the world.
“We desperately need a vaccine to help us survive and come out of this major health crisis,” she said.
“Yes, there is a small risk, but if as a result of the trial, they find a vaccine for coronavirus, the pay off for everyone might be enormous.”
Meanwhile Kevin Lister, 57, a Maths lecturer who lives in Cirencester, applied to take part in the Oxford coronavirus vaccine trial as he felt it was “the least I can do when others are putting their life on the line.”
Also:
- Coronavirus has seen shoppers return to old habits, says Tesco boss
The Covid-19 pandemic has seen the public return to a weekly ‘big shop’ – something that was far more typical 10 or 15 years ago, Dave Lewis, the head of Tesco, has revealed.
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- Lithuania to ease restrictions with ‘open-air’ policy


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-28--The Coronavirus Pandemic Is Forcing Cities To Rethink Public Transportation

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As parts of Europe and the United States begin to lift coronavirus lockdown restrictions and allow people to go shopping, visit relatives and return to work, public officials are facing a new conundrum: How can people travel safely in crowded cities?
Italy is poised to serve as a major test case. On Sunday, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced that many restrictions on daily life will be eased starting next Monday, but he warned that people would still need to avoid large gatherings, maintain social distancing and wear masks in certain circumstances.
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“If we do not respect the precautions, the curve will go up, the deaths will increase and we will have irreversible damage to our economy,” Conte said in a televised address to the nation. “If you love Italy, keep your distance.”
People walk to the San Giovanni metro station in Rome on April 24 during a three-hour testing period of new measures designed to reduce congestion on public transportation, April 24. Antonio Masiello via Getty Images
Some 2.7 million Italians are expected to return to work next week, with 15% of them anticipated to use public transportation, according to Italian authorities.
Thus, government officials and business leaders are scrambling to develop protocols to allow people to move about freely without triggering a surge in coronavirus infections.
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Under new guidelines that are being considered, the number of people allowed on buses and trains is likely to be restricted. Markers will be placed on the ground in metro stations to enforce social distancing, and camera systems and personnel will be deployed to help count passengers and prevent overcrowding, according to HuffPost Italy.
Italy’s transport ministry has suggested that electronic ticket machines will likely become standard, with hand sanitiser dispensers installed nearby. Trains and buses will be disinfected regularly, and the way passengers board and exit vehicles and stations will be adjusted. Moreover, a key goal of any plan will be to spread out daily commuters in order to reduce congestion.
Already, new measures are being tested in Rome. During a three-hour testing period on Friday, only 30 passengers were allowed into stations every three minutes at two of the city’s metro lines, and the number of passengers on each train was capped at 150, HuffPost Italy reported. On the train platforms, blue stripes with small dots indicated how far apart passengers needed to stand. Passages connecting the two lines were closed to prevent people from crossing each other and creating crowds.
A man rides a bicycle on an empty Corso Garibaldi, a main road in the center of Milan, on February 26. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the city plans to increase bike lanes and pedestrian paths and discourage car use. Marco Di Lauro via Getty Images
In addition, many cities are hoping to encourage people to use alternate forms of transportation. Bologna has requested support from the federal government for the purchase of e-bikes and electric scooters, for example, and Milan has unveiled an ambitious plan to remake its streetscape to discourage car use and make it easier for people to walk and cycle, while still having room to spread out.
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Over the summer, the city plans to take over 22 miles of streets and create temporary bike lanes and widened walkways for pedestrians. The speed limit for cars will be reduced in parts of the city, while bicycles and pedestrians will be given priority on certain streets.
“We worked for years to reduce car use. If everybody drives a car, there is no space for people, there is no space to move, there is no space for commercial activities outside the shops,” Milan’s deputy mayor, Marco Granelli, told The Guardian. “Of course we want to reopen the economy, but we think we should do it on a different basis from before. We think we have to reimagine Milan in the new situation.”
Other cities around the world are taking similar measures. This month, the city of Oakland, California, closed 74 miles of streets in order to allow people room to exercise outdoors while still maintaining social distancing. Bogota, Mexico City and Berlin have also added bike lanes.
Italy in particular, however, could provide a model for other cities to follow.
“The Milan plan is so important because it lays out a good playbook for how you can reset your cities now,” Janette Sadik-Khan, a former transportation commissioner for New York City, told The Guardian. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a fresh look at your streets and make sure that they are set to achieve the outcomes that we want to achieve: not just moving cars as fast as possible from point A to point B, but making it possible for everyone to get around safely.”
“I know we’ll be looking to Milan for guidance from New York City,” she added.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-28--Trump Gets A Fact-Check After Blaming Coronavirus On ‘Somebody A Long Time Ago’

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President Donald Trump praised his administration’s work on the coronavirus pandemic as “incredible” on Monday despite repeated missteps, including long delays in dispensing test kits. Then he attempted to shift the blame to a nameless “somebody” from “a long time ago.”
“There has been so much unnecessary death in this country,” Trump said, adding:
“It could have been stopped and it could have been stopped short, but somebody a long time ago, it seems, decided not to do it that way. And the whole world is suffering because of it.”
Based on his comments at another point in the event, Trump was likely referring to China.
“We are not happy with China,” he said, adding that the spread of the infection could have been “stopped at the source” if Beijing had taken earlier action.
But given Trump’s own history and his administration’s delays in acting to slow the spread of the virus, critics were quick to point out that the president could’ve been talking about himself.
On February 26, Trump predicted the number of US cases would be “down to close to zero,” and on February 27, he said the infection would disappear “like a miracle.” To date, more than 988,000 Americans have been diagnosed with Covid-19 and at least 50,000 with the virus have died.
Trump also repeatedly promised tests that didn’t materialise:
The buck stops with "somebody a long time ago" https://t.co/R84nJHO1OQ — Ezra Klein (@ezraklein) April 27, 2020
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Who’s going to tell him?... https://t.co/1LSNznoO1j — Katie Phang (@KatiePhang) April 27, 2020
“Somebody a long time ago could have stopped this?”
Who is he talking about?
Is it a rare moment or self-reflection or another shot at the Chinese, @BarackObama or “nasty” governors? — David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) April 27, 2020
Somebody = Trump
A long time ago = February
Now. Ask him about bleach. https://t.co/DrDlZt0PZY — Steve Marmel (@Marmel) April 27, 2020
Trump just punted the blame for coronavirus on "somebody, a long time ago" who decided this was going to happen and OK I laughed. — Linette Lopez (@lopezlinette) April 27, 2020
When you’re so lazy & irresponsible you can’t even come up with a specific person or thing to blame for all the “unnecessary death” that you caused, so you just say “somebody a long time ago decided not to do it that way.”
Somebody. A long time ago. 🤦🏼♂pic.twitter.com/Ah0T2wYI2a — Andrew Wortman (@AmoneyResists) April 27, 2020
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The buck stops nowhere. https://t.co/XUO9kQnP3T — Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) April 28, 2020
The disease “could have been stopped, it could have been stopped a long time ago. But somebody decided not to do it that way."
Sounded like a confession. — Helen Kennedy (@HelenKennedy) April 27, 2020


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-28--Thousands Of Californians Plan May 1 Rent Strike Amid Coronavirus Crisis

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Patricia Mendoza lost her job with a non-emergency medical transport service after nursing homes placed restrictions on people coming in and out amid the coronavirus crisis. Now the mother of two is out of work and can’t afford to pay her rent due May 1.
“It’s not like I could put money away and save for a rainy day — we live paycheck to paycheck,” said Mendoza, who is the sole breadwinner in her Imperial Beach, California, household. “How am I gonna pay them if I have no income, there’s nothing coming in?”
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Mendoza’s employer, where she’d been working since July of last year, offered no severance pay or other job loss support. Of the $2,000 she earned each month, $1,500 had gone to rent. She’s been trying to file for unemployment benefits, but the government-run website keeps malfunctioning. And she can’t work in grocery stores or other frontline jobs because she has asthma and would be risking her health.
“That’s hard when you have to choose: work or your health or your kids. Where does it fit?” Mendoza said. “I don’t want to be homeless. I have two kids. I work too hard.”
Mendoza is one of the estimated thousands of Californians who are demanding that Governor Gavin Newsom cancel rent and mortgage payments during the coronavirus crisis. If he doesn’t, they plan to strike by not paying rent on May 1.
Around 200 to 300 people have signed up to organize their buildings to strike, according to Jorge Rivera, a regional coordinator for the California housing rights group Tenants Together. While most people will be striking because they can’t afford to pay, some plan to withhold rent in solidarity.
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While California has issued a moratorium on evictions during the pandemic, renters are still responsible for any missed payments after the moratorium lifts. Such an approach “only delays the problem,” wrote Hillary Ronen, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, in a recent report calling on the state to suspend rent and mortgage payments throughout the crisis for “those in need.”
HuffPost reached out to Newsom’s office for comment but did not get an immediate response.
“There’s a moratorium right now, but what happens after?” said Mendoza, who has been going to a local food bank and relying on kind neighbours, who have dropped off groceries in recent weeks. “When am I gonna finish paying? Never. I’m never gonna be able to.”
SF renters, West Side Tenants Association & Veritas Tenant Association call on @GavinNewsom to use his power to #CancelRent, mortgages & utility payments NOW to protect residents from the economic fallout of COVID-19.
Virtual town hall live now: https://t.co/vlVpy2W82K pic.twitter.com/AKslbti0Fy — Housing Rights Committee (@housingrightsSF) April 27, 2020
At a national level, housing rights groups are calling for rent cancellation. And in New York, activists are also organising tenants to participate in a rent strike for May 1.
As the pandemic has led states to broadly shutter businesses, a record 26 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits over the last five weeks — and that doesn’t count those unable to file or ineligible for unemployment benefits, including undocumented workers.
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Earlier this month, Representative Ilhan Omar introduced legislation calling for “emergency rent and mortgage cancellation” during the crisis. The bill would provide landlords with relief funds from the federal government.
Such rent forgiveness would help tenants like Merika Reagan in Oakland, California, who has been unable to pay rent since April 1, after her small pet care business lost almost all its customers amid the state’s stay-at-home order.
The 45-year-old, who plans to join the rent strike on May 1, has provided dog walking, pet sitting and other services to local residents for eight years. But since people began staying home and caring for their own pets, her 20-or-so regular monthly clients have dropped to three.
“As soon as the crisis is over, landlords will be looking for back-pay rent. But if I don’t have it coming in, where is it supposed to come from?” Reagan said.
She has yet to receive the federal government’s $1,200 relief check for lower-income Americans — and even if she gets it, it would cover only a fraction of her $2,200 rent.
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Reagan is “very worried” about becoming homeless. “Without rent forgiveness, when this thing is over, if they’re planning on evicting anyone who can’t agree to whatever their payment arrangements are, that’s gonna be me,” she said.
Homeless people are especially at risk of contracting the virus and suffering more severe outcomes because those living in “congregate” settings, like shelters or encampments, are often unable to follow social distancing guidelines. San Francisco saw a major outbreak at one of its shelters earlier this month.
“The issues that we’re lifting up by doing a ‘cancel rent’ campaign were already there,” said Rivera, adding that the pandemic is “really just bringing into the spotlight the fact people were already having trouble paying rent.”
“People should have a basic human right to housing,” Rivera said.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-28--Trump Says He Takes No Responsibility For People Ingesting Disinfectant

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President Donald Trump said Monday that he is not taking any responsibility for the reported spike in people seeking help related to unsafe disinfectant use, even though he floated the idea of using disinfectant as a potential COVID-19 cure last week.
Trump denied that his comments had played any role in those reports at his Monday briefing, the first time he’d taken questions at a press conference since his remarks about injecting people with disinfectant and sunlight faced nearly universal condemnation. Trump later claimed that suggestion was sarcastic.
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“I can’t imagine why,” Trump said Monday when a journalist noted a reported rise in the misuse of disinfectant since then.
“Do you take any responsibility?” the reporter continued.
“No. I can’t imagine, I can’t imagine that,” Trump said before quickly moving on to another reporter’s question.
Since Trump’s remarks last week, multiple cities and states have reported a spike in calls to poison control centers about exposure to disinfectant, forcing officials and the makers of cleaning products to issue warnings about ingesting such chemicals.
The New York City Poison Control Center received 30 calls about exposure to household chemicals in the 18 hours after Trump’s remarks, compared to only 13 during the same period last year.
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Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said Sunday that his office had received “hundreds of calls” seeking guidance on Trump’s suggestion even after the state’s Emergency Management Agency issued a warning last week about ingesting disinfectant.
Earlier at Monday’s briefing, Trump and other members of the coronavirus task force outlined a new plan for issuing coronavirus tests, though it was scant on details about solving problems in the supply chain and other testing capacity issues.
Despite state leaders calling for a federal-level effort at ramping up testing, the task force said states would be largely responsible for increasing access to tests. Under the plan presented Monday, all 50 states would receive enough tests from the federal government each month to screen 2% of their populations.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-28--Piers Morgan Thanks Supporters As He’s ‘Emphatically’ Cleared By Ofcom For ‘Combative’ Interviews Wi

Piers Morgan Thanks Supporters As He’s ‘Emphatically’ Cleared By Ofcom For ‘Combative’ Interviews With Ministers

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More than 3,000 complaints were made to the TV watchdog following two interviews with Care Minister Helen Whately on Good Morning Britain earlier this month.
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Another 600 viewers also complained about Piers’ interview with Health Secretary Matt Hancock on April 16.
In a statement, Ofcom said the GMB host is “well-known for his combative interviewing style” and viewers would expect him to challenge senior politicians.
Piers Morgan Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock
An Ofcom spokesman said: “We assessed a number of complaints about Piers Morgan’s conduct while interviewing politicians about the UK’s response to the coronavirus public health crisis.
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“Piers Morgan is well-known for his combative interviewing style and viewers would expect him to challenge senior politicians and hold them to account. His guests were given adequate opportunity to put their points across and counter the presenter’s criticisms.
“In Ofcom’s view, in line with freedom of expression, it is clearly in the public interest that broadcasters are able to hold those making political decisions to account, particularly during a major national crisis, such as the coronavirus pandemic.”
Responding to the news on Instagram, Piers said he’d been “emphatically cleared” and thanked his supporters.
“I’ve been emphatically cleared by OFCOM of treating Govt ministers ‘unfairly’ during this crisis,” he wrote.
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“Verdict: ’Viewers would expect him to challenge senior politicians and hold them to account.
“Thank you to everyone that supported me.”
Ofcom said it received 1,981 complaints following Piers’ interview with Helen Whately on April 15.
A further 1,246 complaints were made following the minister’s Good Morning Britain appearance on April 22.
Piers defended the first interview, saying it was not as “uncomfortable” as the conditions for the carers on the front line of the coronavirus crisis.
Good call @Ofcom keep doing what you do best @piersmorgan from a concerned #Carer of my relatives in their own home I am also risking my life but I’m not “employed” by anyone but my “work” is #essential I do it out of #love for my family — Karen Field (@KarenFi51820768) April 28, 2020
Correct decision by Ofcom (Office for spotting cruelty on ministers) @piersmorgan was well within acceptable conduct on screen holding hapless care minister to account https://t.co/8WexyQ8OmX — Lionel Barber (@lionelbarber) April 27, 2020
During an animated interview, he asked Ms Whately for the number of health workers and care workers who had died from the illness.
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She accused him of “shouting at me and not giving me a chance to answer your questions” and “attempting to score points”.
Some viewers accused Piers of “bullying” the politician while others praised him for “demanding answers”.
During Matt Hancock’s appearance on Good Morning Britain, the minister accused Piers of constantly interrupting him.
Ofcom said it received a further 266 complaints from seven of Piers’ political interviews during April.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-28--Who Are The Coronavirus Vaccine Volunteers? Meet The People Taking Part In The Trial

Coronavirus vaccine trial volunteers HuffPost UK
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“It’s not an altruistic act as if they find a vaccine to beat coronavirus, I will benefit too. We’re all in this together.”
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That’s the view of mum-of-two Lydia Guthrie, who is among the first volunteers to take part in a UK coronavirus vaccine trial, something she believes is desperately needed to help the country out of this major health crisis.
The first human trial in Europe of a coronavirus vaccine began last week in Oxford as scientists battle to fight Covid-19 which has claimed the lives of so many people globally.
Many experts around the world believe finding a successful vaccine is the best way to end the pandemic and prevent cases surging once lockdown ends.
A vaccine would provide some protection by training people’s immune systems to fight the virus so they won’t get sick.
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Developing vaccines usually takes years, if not decades, but as speed is a priority, researchers are skipping animal research to test its safety and effectiveness and going straight to trialling it on humans.
Scientists at the Jenner Institute at the University of Oxford have begun administering the trial injections which will be given to more than 800 volunteers.
But what kind of person does it take to volunteer for an experimental vaccine trial?
For Lydia Guthrie, 47, who lives in Oxford, it is something she feels is necessary to help control the pandemic crippling the world.
“We desperately need a vaccine to help us survive and come out of this major health crisis.” she told HuffPost UK.
“Yes, there is a small risk, but if as a result of the trial, they find a vaccine for coronavirus, the pay off for everyone might be enormous.”
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Lydia Guthrie with her husband Mark Lydia Guthrie
Lydia is a former probation officer and ran her own training company for a decade, and is also about to qualify as a family therapist. She decided to take part in the trial after spotting an advert asking for volunteers.
She feels she’s in safe hands as her husband Mark took part in a trial run by the same institute several years ago, and had a positive experience.
“My husband took part in a trial for an HIV vaccine as researchers were recruiting healthy volunteers to see if they could find a vaccine.” she explained.
“It wasn’t successful in finding a vaccine, but he did feel that the team really took care of the participants. It is the same institute that is running this trial so I have a lot of trust and faith in them.”
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Lydia told HuffPost UK that a lot of her motivation for taking part is a desire for social justice.
“Very often, drugs are developed to make money for big pharmaceutical companies.” she said. “Things like HIV and malaria which are prolific around the world and kill so many people don’t get the same attention or money for trials as they are not seen as ‘glamorous’ as some trial drugs.
“Both myself and my husband felt the HIV trial and now this Covid-19 trial were important as they are focusing on where there is a real health need.”
“Doing nothing is risky so this is an act of hope and a small act of resistance against this virus."” - Lydia Guthrie
Lydia met the eligibility criteria for the Oxford Covid-19 trial as researchers were looking for healthy volunteers with no symptoms of the virus.
The trial will involve half the participants being injected with the coronavirus vaccine, while the other half will be given a meningitis vaccine. Volunteers will not be told which one they have received.
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Lydia admitted to HuffPost UK a bit of her is nervous as “no one likes injections”. She told how some people have speculated she “must be doing it for the money”, but laughingly revealed that trial volunteers will receive around £200 to cover expenses and said: “It is certainly not about the money – there are easier ways to earn £200.”
She has, perhaps unsurprisingly, also had “anti-vaxxers” try to convince her she is doing the wrong thing. But she says most people she encounters are supportive.
“I am doing something constructive with all the other volunteers so we can survive and cope with this crisis.
Lydia Guthrie with her husband and children Lydia Guthrie
“Doing nothing is risky so this is an act of hope and a small act of resistance against this virus.
“My children are really supportive and proud of what I am doing and know that human volunteers are needed for the vaccine trials.
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“As a family, we have a set of values about social justice and counting your blessings which are really important to us and this is a time we can put them into action.”
The trial will involve blood tests and checks and calling a telephone line to report any symptoms.
Up to 1,102 trial participants will be recruited across multiple study sites in Oxford, Southampton, London and Bristol.
The Oxford team hopes to have at least a million doses of its vaccine candidate ready in September.
Another institution hoping to have a vaccine ready for use by the end of the year is Imperial College in London.
The researchers say a vaccine may be available for frontline workers and the most vulnerable by late winter, with clinical trials starting in June.
Kevin Lister, 57, a Maths lecturer who lives in Cirencester, applied to take part in the Oxford coronavirus vaccine trial as he felt it was “the least I can do when others are putting their life on the line.”
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“It is like World War I when people had to volunteer first. People have to be prepared to put their lives on the line for the greater good.”” - Kevin Lister
The father-of-two told HuffPost UK: “It seems to me like there is no immunity to this virus. It is completely new and it has hit society like a tidal wave and we don’t know how this thing is going to play out.
“There is no guarantee we won’t end up in the same position when the lockdown is lifted and social distancing measures are eased and that’s why we need a vaccine.”
Kevin Lister
Kevin likened people putting themselves forward for vaccine trials to being “like World War I when people had to volunteer first” and said “People have to be prepared to put their lives on the line for the greater good.”
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He said: “My attitude was that I am 57, so if someone is going to go into the firing line, it is better for it to be someone who has already had a good proportion of their life.
“Normally, vaccine trials take years, but we don’t have time when it comes to this virus and we are in completely uncharted territory.”
Kevin has been told he is just outside the age group and geographical area for the Oxford trial but he is still willing to take part if they extend their criteria or if there are other vaccine trials.
“Our society is very fragile at the moment and I can’t see a good outcome unless a vaccine is successfully developed quickly to fight this virus.”
Wanting to give something back to society is the reason why 47-year-old Mandy Culley has applied to take part in a coronavirus vaccine trial.
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The mum-of-four and grandmother-of-three told HuffPost UK that she hasn’t had an opportunity to give something back and said “that is what humanity should be about.
“Putting myself forward for the coronavirus vaccine trial is my way of putting something back into the country and the world.”” - Mandy Culley
Mandy, who lives in Peterborough, said that when she was at school, she was bullied and for the last couple of years of her school life, she retaliated and “was made an example of and expelled at 16.”
Mandy Culley
Mandy, who is now a manager at a decorating centre, said: “I began working in a factory with my dad and always felt I could do more in my life than this.”
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She says the experiences she went on to have in life made her realise the value of those in society who help others.
Three of Mandy’s children were born premature and spent the early part of their life in the special care baby unit, while another had to stay in hospital for some time after suffering an umbilical infection.
Her eldest daughter was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of five, and a speech and language disorder, and is on the autism spectrum.
“From going through all this, I have seen what others do to help people and what a difference it makes.” she told HuffPost UK.
“I have lived quite a narrow life and even though I wanted to give something back, I had never had that opportunity.
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“To me, helping others and making people happy, even in a minor way, is very important and is what humanity should be about.
“We take things like the flu vaccine for granted but back in the day, that would have needed human trials.
“Putting myself forward for the coronavirus vaccine trial is my way of putting something back into the country and the world.”
Mandy is waiting to hear if she is accepted on the trial and meets their criteria. She says that although she knows there are minimal risks, that doesn’t faze her.
“I know there is a slight chance of something going wrong as there is with all trials.
“There are risks with everything. But the potential positives of this trial far outweigh the negatives.”
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The Oxford vaccine trial aims to provide valuable information on safety aspects of the vaccine and its ability to generate good immune responses against the virus.
It is made from the ChAdOx1 virus which is a weakened version of a common cold virus that causes infections in chimpanzees, that has been genetically changed so that it is impossible for it to grow in humans.
Vaccines made from the ChAdOx1 virus have been shown to be safe and well tolerated, although they can cause temporary side effects, such as a temperature, headache or sore arm.
The main focus of the study is to find out if this vaccine is going to work against Covid-19, if it won’t cause unacceptable side effects and if it induces good immune responses.
Professor Sarah Gilbert, who is leading the team, said she is optimistic about the chances of success.
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She said: “Personally, I’m very optimistic it’s going to work. Formally, we are testing it in an efficacy setting.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-28--The Government Asked Councils To House Every Rough Sleeper. Here's What Happened Next

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On March 26, MP Luke Hall, minister for local government and homelessness, wrote to local authorities across the UK and asked them to house every rough sleeper by the end of the weekend.
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Three days had passed since Boris Johnson announced a nationwide lockdown, and serious questions were being asked about what was being done to protect some of the country’s most vulnerable residents.
“Our strategy must be to bring in those on the streets to protect their health and stop wider transmission, particularly in hot spot areas,” he wrote, setting out six steps local authorities should take in order to protect the nation’s street homeless.
The announcement, which hit headlines the following morning, was met with widespread praise. A total of £3.2m of emergency support for homeless across England had already been announced 10 days earlier, but this new move represented a shift of unprecedented scale.
In fact, it was St Mungo’s, not the government, that first saw Covid-19 as an opportunity to get everyone off the streets. The homelessness charity ran with the idea two weeks before the government’s announcement.
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“The demand hasn’t changed – it was always there – but what we’ve had is the opportunity to do something about it, and in a wholly innovative way,” explained the charity’s chief exec Howard Sinclair.
“We’ve been able to accommodate thousands of people in a way we couldn’t have dreamed of. We led on that opportunity and demonstrated it could work in London, which meant the government then said to everyone: ‘This is what you need to do.’
“It wasn’t in response to the government – it was a response to a real humanitarian situation where we just couldn’t allow people to stay on the streets.”
The government has since poured £3.2bn into local authorities in order to help them combat the challenges posed by coronavirus, with some of that money expected to fund rooms – largely in hotels and B&Bs – for rough sleepers so they have somewhere safe to self isolate.
In London alone, more than 1,000 people have been taken off the streets and housed in temporary accommodation. A spokesperson for the mayor of London said that at the start of the crisis there were an estimated 11,000 homeless people in London.
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They added: “Up to 2,000 were either on the streets or in shelters – where sleeping is communal – so they are our priority and we now have more than 1,100 of those in City Hall funded accommodation.”
The vast majority of the remaining 900 are being helped by individual boroughs, who are operating their own programmes independently.
The government has said 90% of rough sleepers have been housed, but grassroots organisations and larger charities alike are concerned. Barry Lewis via Getty Images
Everyone in?
By April 19, 90% of rough sleepers had reportedly been offered a place to see through the crisis, according to housing secretary Robert Jenrick.
Of course, the number of people sleeping rough is not a static one, and it is feared that the conditions of lockdown – from people facing illegal evictions to those fleeing domestic violence – will lead to even more people on the streets.
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A spokesperson for Bristol City Council, which has housed more than 200 homeless people since the start of the crisis, said: “We are not working in a static environment, and the Outreach Team and Street Intervention Service will connect with anyone who comes onto the street in order to help find them accommodation.
“Homelessness is very complex and not everyone wants to move into accommodation, but we will continue supporting people in the best ways possible.”
With an accurate number of those sleeping rough notoriously difficult to calculate, HuffPost UK contacted the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ask how the figure of 90% had been collated, and asked if this figure would be reviewed as the current situation continues.
A spokesperson from the department said local authorities across England were asked at the start of the crisis to provide an estimate of the total number of people sleeping rough and in accommodation with communal sleeping spaces, such as night shelters.
They added that officials were aware of a shifting population of rough sleepers, but did not clarify whether or not the figure of 90% would be updated in the weeks and months to come.
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Staff at Streetlink, which operates an app, phone line and website allowing homeless people either to self-refer for help, or to be referred by a member of the public, have been inundated with alerts.
Between April 1 and April 22, 2019, the service received 2,271 – an average of 103 a day. A year later, that figure has increased by 70%, with a team of just six to eight staff and a couple of volunteers each day fielding an average of 177 calls every 24 hours.
Alerts from the public have risen by more than half (55%), but self-referrals from rough sleepers have have rocketed by 740%: a total of 462 from April 1 to April 22 this year.
Coronavirus has meant thousands of homeless people are off the streets – but those who are left behind have been cut off from vital services. Henry Nicholls / Reuters
A spokesperson told HuffPost UK this could be down to homeless people becoming more visible due to quieter streets, increased public concern about people sleeping rough, local authorities explicitly asking members of the public to refer homeless people through the site, and the closure of day centres and public toilets.
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It’s a big spike in demand for a small team – but the bigger concern is the capacity of the services on the ground.
Council- and charity-run outreach teams, sometimes informed by Streetlink’s alerts, are the mechanism through which the government is expecting the homeless to be housed. They have limited numbers of staff, and councils have limited amounts of accommodation to offer those who need it.
““The key mistake is relying on a system that is broken to repair the system. It just can’t happen. Everything’s changed.”
Grassroots organisations like Ealing Soup Kitchen and Streets Kitchen are concerned that rough sleepers – particularly those without a phone or who do not speak English – are going undetected.
Andrew Mcleay, manager at Ealing Soup Kitchen, explained: “By registering them with Streetlink you the assume these people are then accounted for, but in our experience that hasn’t always been the case.
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“There are still people, even now, who have never been found by Streetlink or have had any contact with them. There are quite a number of people still out there who don’t speak English, which presents quite a problem to Streetlink and the outreach teams, because how would they even communicate with them without a translator?”
While there are practical issues with referral systems like Streetlink, the fact people are still out on the street is rooted in systemic issues, according to Jon Glackin of grassroots outreach service Streets Kitchen.
“The process is broken,” he said. “It doesn’t work. It works sometimes, but that’s not good enough – people are not getting through.
“The key mistake is relying on a system that is broken to repair the system. It just can’t happen. Everything’s changed.
“It’s shown that mutual aid groups and community groups are the backbones of communities at the moment. They’re keeping them alive.”
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The stresses compounded by lockdown mean that even as local authorities are trying to house rough sleepers, more people are finding themselves suddenly homeless and with nowhere to go.
“A lot of people are being made homeless at the moment, through illegal evictions, backpacking hostels being closed, B&Bs being closed, sofa surfers being kicked out,” Glackin said.
“There’s a whole deluge of people hitting the streets. We’re seeing lots of new faces at our kitchens, which is very worrying.”
Hannah Gousy, head of policy at Crisis, said red tape was stopping vulnerable people – such as those fleeing domestic violence, or some groups of migrants – accessing safe emergency accommodation.
Gousy added: “We’re hearing examples of where local authorities are applying the legal tests within the homelessness legislation and that’s presenting as a big barrier for people moving into both emergency and permanent accommodation.
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“In terms of what those legal barriers are, they could be denying someone assistance on the basis that they’re not able to prove they have local connections.
“It could also be denying people assistance because they’re not deemed to be a priority need. That could be women who are fleeing domestic abuse that aren’t deemed vulnerable enough to be in that category, and obviously that’s something we’ve seen a huge spike in during the coronavirus outbreak so we’re very, very concerned about that.”
The government explicitly said the “everyone in” initiative would cover every rough sleeper, whether they had recourse to public funds or not. But now, Gousy claimed, local authorities were now being instructed by government to reapply the “no recourse to public funds” criterion.
“No recourse to public funds” is a condition imposed on some migrants, meaning a person can’t access certain pots of public money.
The MCHLG said councils had been given flexibility to determine how they spent the cash, but were expected to meet their statutory duties.
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A ‘dire situation’ for those left behind
A government spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “The effort to get rough sleepers off the streets during this crisis has been a success by any measure.
“Thanks to the close co-operation between government, councils and charities, thousands of rough sleepers are staying safe and following public health guidelines.”
While thousands of people have managed to find a safe place to self-isolate thanks to the scheme, organisations working with vulnerable people say many more hidden homeless are struggling as the services that support them are forced to adapt.
Mcleay said there were dozens of rough sleepers who had fallen through the gaps – with at least 30 known to the organisation.
“After the lockdown was announced and the government said they were going to house everybody, I started to put my number on a slip of paper inside the take away meal packages we do,” Mcleay explained.
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“I must have had about 45 phone calls from people telling me that they were sleeping rough and hadn’t been offered anywhere to stay, and they were telling me about their friends too – so in all I had the names of about 60 people. A few weeks on, I would say there are still at least 30 people we know about without anywhere to shelter.
“There’s just no way of reaching these people – the outreach teams are so stretched, and already working in really difficult circumstances, that those people who are less visible, who can’t speak English or don’t have a phone, are just falling through the gaps.
While thousands of people have been housed, many more remain on the streets and struggling to access vital services. ANDY BUCHANAN via Getty Images
“When this help doesn’t reach our clients they start to ask questions like: ‘Why not me?’ It’s hard not to feel like we’re failing people, like they’ve been promised something we can’t possibly deliver.”
Meanwhile, those without a roof over their heads have found themselves severed from many of the services – clean clothes, haircuts, showers, mental health support and socialisation – that made the demands of sleeping rough easier to cope with.
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Without the patchwork of soup kitchens, libraries and shelters, many have been left with nowhere left to turn. For those who don’t speak English, or the many – usually older – rough sleepers without access to a phone or internet, the challenges are even greater.
Mcleay explained: “In ordinary times we offer showers, as do many other day centres across the capital – if someone really wanted to, they could probably wash every day. But now everything is closed, and people who are still on the streets have nowhere to go and are facing the prospect of going months without a shower.
“What sort of health problems will that bring up? How can we make sure these people are kept safe when some of them are completely cut off from the information they need? What we need to do just goes so, so far beyond putting people between four walls.
“Everyone’s trying their best, but social distancing measures mean we can’t do haircuts, we can’t clean clothes, we can’t allow people to gather or speak with the volunteers as they used to. Sometimes our sessions would be the only conversation a client had for a week, and now it’s gone.”
His concerns are echoed by organisations working with homeless people across the country, who have already seen those left out on the streets forced to accept serious risks to their health just to access basic needs like drinking water.
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“I know of cases in Hackney of homeless people drinking toilet water because that was the only water they could get, from a public toilet without a working sink,” said Glackin.
“We’ve had to bring in loads of water because, remember, McDonald’s is closed, Burger King is closed, all the day services are closed, churches, most public toilets, everything’s closed. It’s a huge, dire, situation.”
It’s important to note that people are not just on the streets because they haven’t been found – outreach teams across the country are in touch with rough sleepers who, for a variety of complex reasons, have refused, or been unable to take up, offers of accommodation.
A spokesperson for Hackney Council said the local authority was aware of nine people still sleeping rough within its borders, all of whom were in touch with outreach services and had been offered accommodation.
They added: “The council has been talking to these residents over a long period of time and many of these entrenched rough sleepers have underlying physical and mental health problems, and substance- or alcohol-related problems.
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“The availability of accommodation is not the primary factor for these residents remaining on the streets.”
Rebecca Rennison, Hackney’s deputy mayor and housing chief, said: “We had already placed more than 50 rough sleepers in safe, self-contained accommodation even before the government’s request. With an offer of accommodation in place for every person known to be sleeping rough in the borough, the vast majority of homeless people in Hackney are now safe off the streets and receiving food, healthcare and other support.
“But each individual has complex needs that will not be solved overnight and we continue to work with outreach organisations to help those who remain on the street take up offers of accommodation.”
Adapting to life ‘inside four walls’
The pledge to house the homeless through the crisis has given many their best chance at avoiding the virus. But the drastic change to what for some people has been a lifestyle for many years has posed its own challenges.
Mcleay said he knew of “at least five or six” people who had already been asked to leave accommodation after struggling to adjust to living within four walls, whilst others were facing difficulties with abrupt social isolation.
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He said: “The council pays for hotel rooms to put these guys up in, but quite a few of them have already been kicked out and are on the streets now.
“They could have been misbehaving, but the whole point of this process was to make sure they weren’t infecting other people or getting infected themselves so by kicking them out you’re sort of invalidating that whole process. It’s a really difficult one, because for a lot of our clients hotels probably aren’t the right place to be.
“Some of these people have lived on the streets for years, and suddenly you’re putting them inside four walls and they’re cut off from those routines they’ve depended on to survive. It’s so hard, because they need to stay there to stay safe, but to isolate in that way goes against pretty much every instinct we have.”
Many day centres and outreach groups that typically provide supplies of food, a laundry service and mental health support have found themselves having to radically alter the way they work.
Free meals are being delivered to hotels, and takeaway services have replaced the traditional soup kitchens.
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Under new regulations put in place for the lockdown certain business are subject to restrictions and closures – including restaurants and cafes – but services providing food or drink to the homeless are excluded from this directive.
Where mealtimes used to be a potential opportunity to help identify the needs of those on the streets, social distancing rules now mean rough sleepers have to take their food and quickly disperse.
HuffPost UK spoke to a number of groups, including Exeter-based St Petrock’s, which have started to deliver meals to hotels that are hosting clients, and are even providing support such as mental health sessions via Zoom.
Spokesperson Lucy Patrick said: “Covid-19 has fundamentally changed the way we work across our entire service, but particularly the workings of our day centre because people can’t just drop in anymore.
“We are providing daily takeaway services to the hotels and we also have support workers going in with to help with things like getting our clients’ clothes clean.
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“With regards to our other survival services, things like the mental health clinic obviously can’t work as a drop-in any more, but we’re really pushing to advertise on our website the fact that this can be accessed through Zoom.”
In Exeter, as of April 24, there were 14 people recorded as living on the streets.
Since March 27, the council has accommodated 56 individuals or families, including people sleeping rough and those at rick of being on the streets, those released from prison, and people who have lost accommodation in the days since.
A spokesperson for Exeter City Council said 94% of known rough sleepers known to the city had been housed, with £88,180 being spent so far.
What happens when this is all over?
Weeks on from the government’s announcement, there’s still no clarity on what will happen when the lockdown lifts, or when the funding runs out. Organisations working with some of the most vulnerable people in society are seriously concerned that rough sleepers will be forced back out onto the streets.
Gousy said: “What we would be calling on the government to do is ensure there is a robust strategy in place so everybody who’s been housed during this period is made an offer of settled housing, so they’re not forced to return back to the streets or into homeless accommodation.
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“Ensuring that people are made a priority for social housing, ensuring that people can access the private rented sector, will be absolutely vital.”
Sinclair shares the fear that lifting lockdown could see a significant rise in the number of people sleeping rough.
The St Mungo’s chief exec said: “We’re seeing more people going on to the streets than in normal times, and we need to figure out why.
“We need to get to those people swiftly and come to a way of finding solutions for them. My fear is that amid the economic difficulties and the unemployment we’ll see more and more people on the streets over the next few months.”
He explained that, when designated “severe weather” beds open up in the winter, 80% of those who come inside don’t return to rough sleeping. It is hoped that this crisis, too, could be an opportunity to help guide people away from the streets for good.
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He added “We’ll work with each person to come up with a personal plan and then we’ll going back to local authorities, various statutory agencies and the government, and saying: ‘Right, this is what people need. You need to help us facilitate this.’”
The government hasn’t yet committed to any clear plan for homeless people once lockdown ends, and there are fears about the scale of the issue if everyone is put back out onto the streets at once.
A MHCLG spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “While local authorities continue to provide accommodation to those that need it, it is only responsible that we work with partners to consider how best to support the rough sleepers who have been moved into accommodation once the immediate crisis has been resolved.”
The government’s emphasis on housing the homeless has been welcomed by groups working with the community, but organisations from grassroots level to major nationwide charities have also called for more financial support to cope with the sheer scale of the issue.
Gousy said: “There are still a number of measures we’re going to need to see the government take in order to ensure it’s a full success.
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“One of those things is to provide a dedicated funding stream for local authorities to procure the accommodation that’s needed, but also to provide the really vital support that’s needed for people once they get into that accommodation.
“There’s obviously been additional funding provided to local authorities but none of it has been specifically earmarked to work with people who are facing homelessness or to help with the ‘everyone in’ initiatives.
“We already know there are some local authorities that have used that wider pot of money to help support people who are facing homelessness, but there are some local authorities that haven’t. There’s no guarantee that without clear instructions from national government that funding will be used to support people who are facing homelessness right now.”
The national picture of how local authorities are dealing with coronavirus is a broad one, constantly shifting and adapting as this unprecedented situation moves inconsistently across the county.
In Leeds, 200 people have been housed since March 27 – which officials estimated represented around 74% of known homeless people in the city.
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A spokesperson for the council said between 12 and 16 people were known to have refused offers of accommodation and were continuing to sleep rough, adding: “We are continuing to do everything possible to ensure that as many people as possible take up our offers of accommodation. This includes, with partners, working with and offering support to all those in need, including those who have turned down accommodation previously.”
Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, officials in Leeds have spent £477,000 on temporary housing – not just for rough sleepers, but also for those at risk of homelessness and people fleeing domestic violence.
Meanwhile in Newcastle, a sweep of the city undertaken by outreach teams had found no people sleeping rough over the course of a three-day period when responding to HuffPost UK’s enquiry on April 24.
A spokesperson for the city council said housing had been offered to six of the 14 people found rough sleeping since March 27. Four people were helped back to their accommodation, while four were supported “to be reconnected and housed in their area of accommodation”.
They added: “We are working with our commissioned providers to maintain our existing accommodation of 779 beds and also work alongside partner agencies across the city to try to prevent evictions and alleviate the additional pressures within the accommodation.
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“In addition to this, we are planning ahead and looking at opportunities to source additional accommodation as demands and pressures grow and also to ensure we have the most appropriate accommodation to offer individuals as circumstances change.
In Liverpool, 130 households had been moved into “a range of accommodation options”, with around six rough sleepers still outside but in contact with outreach services.
Looking forward, a spokesperson for Liverpool City Council said: “The council is looking at options and will continually review them as and when the current situation changes. The money allocated for this programme is £300,000.”
The entire country has been plunged into a degree of uncertainty, but for some of the UK’s most vulnerable people the situation is worse than ever.
Organisations working on the ground have praised the government for their approach, but remain daunted at the sheer scale of the issues facing both themselves and the clients they work to protect.
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As Glackin points out, for outreach charities everything has changed but the homelessness crisis. For those sleeping rough, coronavirus is just one more huge barrier.
“We were made in crisis,” he said. “We have always been involved in the homelessness crisis.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-28--Coronavirus Has Shown Millennials Are More Resilient Than We Think

Millennials are perhaps more resilient than we think Getty Creative
I was never worried about being in lockdown with my partner, Fiona. I was, however, a little worried that our daughter Grace chose to join us.
Grace has taken occupancy of the granny flat attached to our house, which neither of the grannies ever felt a need to use.
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Twenty-six this week, she is a very bright, funny, challenging, hard-working comedian and socially committed campaigner, who is never afraid to say what she thinks, and I love her to bits.
However, she can also be majorly attention-seeking, infuriatingly loud and she and I can turn a polite disagreement into a Roy Keane-Patrick Vieira tunnel bust-up in seconds. Hence the worry.
She is also a hypochondriac. This is someone who recently burst into our bedroom as we slept at 3AM to tell us she was on the phone to 999, as she was having a heart attack. “No you’re not,” I said, taking the phone and apologising to the operative.
So I was bracing myself for a never ending chorus of “I’ve got the virus, this is definitely it, take me to the Royal Free...”
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But there has been none of it. I have been impressed by the way she has coped with the Covid-19 crisis.
A GP friend tells me that surgeries have been packed with healthy millennials for years, reporting non-ailments. Her theory is that without something like a world war, or an existential threat on the horizon, youngsters find lesser things to worry about as much as the previous generations worried about those rather bigger things.
Grace has done it so often her GP once suggested there should be an NHS equivalent of the crime of wasting police time, and Grace should be the first arrest.
But looking at her now, in the midst of a real crisis for the country and the world, she seems to be worrying less than ever.
She has not had a single meltdown since the lockdown, which is definitely a record. She has been unfailingly helpful as I have struggled with the technological challenges of doing live interviews and ‘meetings’ on a laptop. A non-football fan, she has even been sympathetic about my yearning for football to come back.
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Our podcast, Football, Feminism and Everything In Between, was her idea a while back, and in the two series we recorded, we spoke to former prime ministers, football managers, rugby internationals, famous actors and TV stars.
We were about to start the interviews for Series 3 when lockdown scuppered our plans, and we decided to put it all on hold until life gets back to some kind of normality.
But at the weekend, Grace, who rivals me in her terror of boredom, said: “Let’s just do one anyway, without guests.”
Listening back to the recording, it struck me just how much it is possible to cover in a free-flowing conversation: football, comedy, relationships, how many of Grace’s friends have fallen out with their boyfriends, our shared concern about the dog having separation anxiety when lockdown ends.
She announces that Fiona and I are now “officially old” because we have a birdsong recognition app – she calls it “Shazam for birds”. She takes the mickey out of my idea for a Tree Olympics. She tells me she likes wearing a mask, not for health reasons but so she can talk to herself without people staring at her. We agree that having my bagpipes insulted on social media by John Cleese, who then called me “one of my favourite Scottish gits”, was “really f―-ing cool.”
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The longest part of the discussion is on Misbehaviour, the new film starring Keira Knightley and Jessie Buckley, about women’s liberation activists taking on the Miss World Pageant in 1970. I made the mistake of telling Grace I had covered Miss World for the Daily Mirror long before she was born. She raced upstairs to find my cuttings, and I was expecting an eruption of feminist fury when she came across a two-page spread with this kind of thing: “MISS PARAGUAY: If there were a separate title for Miss Sexy, it would go to flirty ANTONELLA MONTUORI, 21. She’s the cream of the South American beauties. Her constant flashing smile, sexy laugh and bubbling personality give her an edge over the others. STATISTICS: 34-23-34.”
I admitted I really fancied Miss Paraguay. I admitted I loved covering Miss World, and I admitted I was slightly ashamed not to have seen at the time that it was a dreadful part of the patriarchy, that I should have been campaigning against, not enjoying because I got to hang out with gorgeous young women for two weeks.
“Don’t beat yourself up, Dad,” she said. “Times were very different then. That’s what the film is about.”
This is what we call a personality transplant. Remarkable.
But let’s see how far it goes. I noticed that there is an advert for the Halifax at the start and one for Lloyd’s Bank at the end of the podcast. Does this mean we are making money? News to me if so. Is that why she is being nice to me? I thought I was supposed to be The Great Manipulator...


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-28--'I Expect A Manic Return': What Lockdown Is Like For Tattoo Artists

The chair remains empty and the needles are set aside at Chris Ferris’s tattoo studio in West Sussex. He officially closed Blackgate Ink on March 23 following Boris Johnson’s lockdown order, but says business slowed prior to that, as clients became increasingly nervous of the Covid-19 threat.
Other small business owners around the country have adapted to stay afloat during this time, rapidly switching to digital models or offering at-home deliveries, but tattoo studio owners like Ferris can do nothing to safeguard their livelihood. Shutting up shop, with no indication of when it will reopen, was “a massive blow”, he says.
“I lost a sense of purpose as tattooing is not a job, it’s a lifestyle,” he tells HuffPost UK. “I got into tattooing to help with my mental health as it gives focus and passion. A lot of other artists I know in the community are also struggling with that side of things.”
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Chris Ferris Chris Ferris
Ferris, 30, is married with four children and the primary earner in his family. With the 80% self-employment wage not expected to come in until June, he’s worried about the impact of the months without money coming in.
“This has already started to cripple me with debts towards business phone contracts and rent arrears, which I’ll have to pay at some point when I have an income,” he says. “As for the family, they can’t have the things they usually would, like certain foods, as we have to watch the money being spent.”
Ferris has been using lockdown to do household projects, but says he can’t bear to plan any new tattoo designs. “It feels like false hope as I would be drawing for no reason, sadly,” he says.
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Prior to becoming a tattoo artist, Lou Short, 43, worked in health and social care, helping patients with addiction and mental health problems. But after a career change, she opened her own studio, Voodoo Lou’s Tattoo Emporium in Poole, Dorset. She continued to volunteer alongside tattooing, spending evenings supporting terminally ill people.
Now that lockdown has forced her to close her shop, she’s rejoined the NHS, providing pastoral support to a specialist palliative care team who are caring for patients at the end of their life, some of whom have had Covid-19.
“I felt passionately that I wanted to help, with lots of people dying alone or with very limited access to time with relatives because of infection control, it seemed important,” she says.
Lou Short Lou Short
Although she felt a pull towards healthcare, closing the door of her studio for the foreseeable future was still traumatic. “I felt devastated, powerless and angry, even though I expected it would happen and I knew it was for good reasons,” she says. “When you’re a small business owner and sole trader, you are your business.”
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Short is still drawing and developing designs with clients and has already had requests from people wanting to “celebrate surviving or getting through Covid” with a tattoo.
“One of my clients who’s a nurse wants something personal to capture her experience of being on the frontline, we’re discussing designs at the moment, but I’ll create her something really unique,” she adds.
For 36-year-old artist Amanda Rodriguez, the spread of coronavirus meant putting her dreams of opening her own studio on hold. Originally from New York, Rodriguez worked at the famous US studio Three Kings Tattoo, which boasts a celebrity clientele including Lana Del Ray and Lena Headey.
Rodriguez moved to London in April 2019 with the aim of opening her own shop under the brand franchise. She plunged her savings into the project and the shop was set to open in Deptford in April. Realising that could no longer happen was devastating.
“I was massively depressed for about three weeks, I just wallowed in self-pity,” she says. “But I knew I had to just deal with it, because none of us have any control in this situation.”
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Susana Rico Amanda Rodriguez
Rodriguez is hoping the studio will be eligible for the £10,000 grant being offered by the government to help small businesses and start-ups through the pandemic, but she’s yet to have details of that confirmed.
She’s continuing to eat into her savings to cover the rent in the meantime. She’s also worried some studios won’t survive the crisis. “Most tattoo shops don’t operate with large savings, it’s money in and money out,” she says.
Stuck in limbo, Rodriguez has been busy trying to promote the new studio from home and generate some income. She’s been giving out colouring pages of her designs for kids and has run a raffle, where people pay £15 for the chance to win a larger (and more expensive) tattoo when the shop eventually opens.
“I think a lot of people really want to help tattoo artists but they have financial issues themselves, so they might not be able to book an appointment for a large tattoo right now,” she says.
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While Rodriguez is new to the UK tattoo scene, Ricky Wilson, 30, who owns The Interbellum Tattoo Lounge in Billericay, Essex, has been working in the industry for 10 years.
Ricky Wilson Ricky Wilson
Although business has paused for now, Wilson isn’t too worried about the long-term implications, as clients seem “quite determined to get tattooed”.
“Even during the recession, people still kept me busy,” he says. “I still constantly get clients message me saying how much they can’t wait to get back in the chair.”
Wilson has been using lockdown to plan the launch of another business and says the artists who work for him have been taking on commissioned work, including dog portraits and making prints to sell. “One of the artists has been tattooing their boyfriend to tick over!” he jokes.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-28--As Quarantine Fatigue Hits, Are We Becoming Complacent About Covid-19?

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It’s week six of the UK lockdown and as quarantine fatigue kicks in, it seems the nation’s dedication to following the rules might be waning.
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Early lockdown reports showed a drop in car traffic as the country adjusted to social distancing measures, but the latest figures from AA suggest “traffic and breakdowns [are] creeping back up”.
The rise might partially be explained by the police now permitting the public to drive short distances for walks. But anecdotally, people are also reporting a growing sense of indifference towards the government guidelines in their communities.
“I definitely think people are getting a bit more complacent. Even with the way they walk down the pavement, [there’s] a bit less bother over moving out the way,” one person on Twitter told me. “People are walking without gloves or masks, spending longer in parks and chatting in shops. Everything feels more relaxed, which is nice in one way, but worrying in another,” another said.
Although the number of UK hospital deaths from Covid-19 surpassed 20,000 this weekend – and we know the overall national death figure is much higher – the numbers do not appear to be deterring some from bending the rules. So, what’s driving the impulse to “risk it” for a slice of normality?
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“We know from myriad other risks that logic and numbers do not play the major role in driving behaviour,” says Helene Joffe, professor of psychology at UCL. Instead, people’s behaviour is often driven by what they see other people doing.
“In psychological terms, social norms play a major role in shaping behaviour. The toilet paper rush is an excellent example of this,” Prof. Joffe explains. “The quantity of media coverage also served to amplify the trend, thereby perpetuating the rush on toilet paper.”
Prof. Joffe thinks we’re now seeing a similar pattern with people leaving their homes for non-essential trips: “We are seeing on our daily exercise outing, and also with the media showing an increasing number of cars on the road, that people are moving out of lockdown and so this feels socially acceptable.”
There’s an “experiential element” to people’s behaviour, she adds, with some people testing how far they can push the restrictions. “As we hear of less cases of the virus in our own social circles, so it seems like the problem has abated.”
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Prof. Joffe believes the mixed messages over whether the government will be tightening, extending or lifting the lockdown measures are doing little to help. “Any suggestions that people read in the media – like the idea that one might be able to mix with a few designated households – the ‘bubble’ idea – are taken as a suggestion that this is a good idea,” she says.
Counselling psychologist Dr Chloe Paidoussis-Mitchell points out that some of us might be beginning to push the boundaries of lockdown because the strain is simply becoming too much to bear. “We are a species that thrives in community. Prolonged isolation is a form of psychological torture and our mind struggles with that,” she says. “Very negative feelings such as anxiety, stress, depression and fear are triggered and people feel exhausted by having to cope with it.”
It might seem understandable that people are adapting measures to suit their needs, for instance, by visiting a loved one’s front drive or meeting for a socially distanced chat with friends in the park. But Prof. Joffe worries about where these seemingly small digressions will lead. “I think if this is not reigned in it will spiral,” she says.
So, if you’ve hit the lockdown wall, how can you regain the incentive to follow the rules diligently once more? Dr Paidoussis-Mitchell says most people feel motivated when they remind themselves of the altruistic nature of this choice.
“We can tell ourselves we choose to not go out as opposed to we can’t go out,” she says. “We choose to follow the rules and to remind ourselves of our higher purpose with this – we are choosing the collective good; to shield those more vulnerable than us and the NHS.”
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Tuning in to the negative emotions that compel you to flout the rules – and expressing them safely by talking to close friends or family, or writing them down – may also help. And if you’re struggling with not knowing when lockdown will lift, celebrating your daily successes and practising gratitude could help keep you focused.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-28--What To Say (And Not Say) To Someone Who's Grieving During The Coronavirus Pandemic

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It’s thought an extra 100,000 people are grieving right now as the UK faces bereavement on a massive scale.
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More than 20,000 people in the UK have already lost their lives to Covid-19 – and that’s on top of the average 50,000 deaths a month from other causes.
Cruse Bereavement Care estimates that for every person who has died, six people are left suffering intense grief – which goes some way to explaining just how many people will be struggling right now.
With the UK still adopting lockdown measures and social distancing rules, even the way we grieve is having to change. Funerals aren’t able to go ahead in the same way as they once would’ve done and some people are unable to say a proper ‘goodbye’. Others will be left to grieve alone in isolation, away from their loved ones, during an already fraught period. But there are things all of us can be doing to better support those going through such devastating loss.
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“No two people grieve in exactly the same way,” says Dr Chloe Paidoussis Mitchell, a chartered counselling psychologist and an expert in grief and trauma.
What grief looks like will depend on a person’s life story, she says – so, their own family dynamics and relationship with the person who has died; their support network and job situation; and their own mental and physical health.
“Everything about a person’s life will have an impact on how someone experiences grief and so it is fundamental to be accepting and non judgemental,” says Dr Paidoussis Mitchell, who adds that whatever a bereaved person is feeling is “normal” – whether they want to sleep more, or can’t sleep at all; they feel angry or numb. “Every emotion is valid,” she says.
Andrii Shyp via Getty Images
In unsettling times, reaching out to someone you know who is grieving is so important – even though it might seem awkward and you might not know what to say. Shying away from the conversation can mean the person begins to feel like a burden or even pushes down their grief so you don’t feel uncomfortable.
So, what can you say?
Nothing you say can take the pain away, but talking can be one of the most helpful ways to show support after someone dies. In its updated coronavirus bereavement guidance, Cruse recommends reminding the person that you are there for them by sending them a card, or even just a text or email.
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Acknowledge what has happened and tell the person how sorry you are that their friend, relative or colleague has died. Try not to worry too much about what you say. The feeling will come across and it counts more that you’ve said something than that you find the perfect words, Cruse suggests.
Some ideas of things to say:
I don’t know what to say but I am so sorry to hear this news.
I am so sorry for your loss, you are in my thoughts.
I’m so sad to hear this and I’m here if you need to talk.
He/she will be missed so much – they were so special. You are in my thoughts
So very shocked and saddened by this sad news. Hard to believe [name] has gone. I am here when you need me.
This is so heartbreaking. I wish I could be there to give you a hug.
For those who don’t live in the same household as the bereaved, Michaela Willis, chief executive officer of the National Bereavement Partnership, points out that “people may be self-isolating but we don’t have to make them feel socially isolated”. She urges people to be a listening ear, be present ‘virtually’ or at the end of the phone.
“It’s ok if you don’t know what to say,” she continues. “Tell them ‘I am here for you’. Acknowledge the difficult time and what they are experiencing. Acknowledge that, while you can’t do anything to change it, you are there for them on this journey.”
Once you’ve started that first dialogue, you might want to check in regularly with the person who is grieving – phone or video calls don’t have to be lengthy. Shorter ones can sometimes feel more manageable for someone who is grieving.
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Dr Paidoussis Mitchell suggests asking open questions such as: What is it like for you? What can I do for you? How can I support you? What support do you have? Or even, what support do you need? How are you taking care of yourself?
“Always be led by the bereaved,” she adds. “It is not about you. It is about them and their personal grief journey.” If the person wants to open up, be there to actively listen and normalise whatever they are sharing with you. Equally, if they’re not ready, don’t rush it – just let them know you’re there for them when they want to chat.
It can be helpful to speak about the person who has died, says Dr Paidoussis Mitchell. You could recall stories if you knew them too, or speak about how much you miss them.
What not to say
“Offer your support but don’t offer your judgment,” adds Dr Paidoussis Mitchell. It’s unhelpful to say things like ‘time will heal’ or ‘you will meet someone new’.
Equally, don’t call someone who is bereaved to talk about your own problems without acknowledging it might be difficult for them to engage with, she adds. “To phone a bereaved colleague or friend and say you’re stressed out because work is difficult or the children are demanding is not appropriate.”
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“Check in with them before you launch into your stuff.” Yes, they might seem like they’re holding together well and continuing to work (if they’re an NHS healthcare worker, for example) – but be mindful they are going through intense change and pain.
What else you can do
If phone or video calls aren’t your strong point, make a gesture instead. “Send a note or a text and reassure them that you will be happy to see them when they are up to it,” says Dr Paidoussis Mitchell. “If you want to invite them to connect digitally, offer it but don’t pressure them to answer. Give them time and respect how they want to deal with their grief.”
Offering specific practical help, not vague general offers, can make all the difference. You might want to offer to do someone’s shopping for them and drop it off on their doorstep, to walk their dog (if they have one) or cook some meals that they can refrigerate and reheat. If you’re very close to the person, you could offer to help with funeral arrangements.
Further support
Grief is individual and some people might need more support than others. If you are concerned for someone’s mental health and you see signs of deterioration, encourage them to get help – either through the NHS (tell them to phone their GP who can refer them for therapy), a private therapist or mental health charity.
The National Bereavement Partnership’s helpline has relaunched to provide bereavement support to people impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Members of the public can access support through its helpline (0800 448 0800), operational daily between 7am-10pm, as well online and via social media.
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Cruse Bereavement Care also has a helpline (0808 808 1677) open Monday-Friday 9.30-5pm or you can email helpline@cruse.org.uk
The Good Grief Trust has launched virtual cafes, a new online support service where those are are bereaved can meet other people who are also grieving, from the safety of their own homes, via Zoom.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-28--In Lockdown, My Long-Distance Relationship Feels Longer Than Ever

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I was single for around two years, after breaking an engagement with my ex-boyfriend and I wasn’t sure I wanted anyone again. Not for a while.
And then Casey came along.
We first spoke on Hinge last September – she had changed her location to have a peek at what women around the world were like. She came across my profile and sent me a message. The chances of finding the love of my life like this was impossible to imagine. With everyone in London who I see and meet, I never came across anyone like her. Looking at her photos, I instantly knew I liked her. She was a hot artist with amazing style. I was into it. And then I read the message.
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“I live in Seattle, but just want to let you know, you seem really cool!”
Damn. Seattle. I couldn’t imagine being with someone who lived across the world, so I pulled myself away from the desire to communicate with her and continued as normal.
Despite that we followed each other on Instagram, and one night I got drunk and slid in her DMs. The attraction was too strong.
We started messaging on WhatsApp, sending videos and voice notes. A few days later we set up a FaceTime date and started our relationship in November. We made sure we spoke every day, we confirmed we’re in a monogamous relationship despite distance and made plans to see each other.
I go to Vancouver regularly to see my grandad and so I moved my trip to January/February this year, so I could go see her in Seattle. We instantly held each other and all my dreams came true. I felt warm and peaceful. I was where I was I meant to be. I spent two weeks with her, and I was besotted. She is the love of my life. When we left each other, I cried my way through security at the airport and on the flight. I wanted to run off the plane and into her arms again, but I knew the reality of our situation.
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As I returned, there was talk of a virus impacting certain areas of the globe – and was now coming to the UK and America. But I didn’t realise the scope of it. Casey and I were meant to spend five days in Portugal this month before the virus got worse, our flights got cancelled, and my heart broke.
The distance now feels longer. Our ‘I miss you’ messages have a different tone – when we used to miss each other, we were excited to be together again. But now we yearned so deeply, everything hurts. We knew what we were getting ourselves into but in this crisis, suddenly the pain was doubled. Whenever I imagine what her lips felt like, I keep crying.
The biggest test of a relationship is if it can survive distance and loneliness. And we’re trying our best. There’s fear of mortality, uncertainty about when we’ll see each other and the overwhelming need to be touched.
I share my anxiety with friends, but no one I know is in a similar situation. Some are single and feel for me, but are dealing with their own loneliness. Some are isolating with their significant others and I’ve seen appreciation, arguments and watched them fall back in love again. Those who are isolating away from their loved ones know they can run into their arms when this is over.
Whereas, for us, it’ll be harder. I will most likely have to get a visa and save to book a flight. Any money I had saved to see her is now being spent on paying rent and bills while I struggle to find work. I think of the people around me who will see their loved ones before I do, and my heart breaks all over again.
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And in the meantime, I’m scared for Casey. America is handling everything as bad as the UK, if not worse. Seattle was one of the first places hit by coronavirus, and it was hit badly. I found myself stressed about her situation, because I couldn’t protect her.
I distract myself by staying healthy, discussing the need for reform, looking at political structures and whose voting habits have exacerbated this catastrophe. Because this isn’t just a moment in history, this crisis will change the world – and we don’t know if it will change for the good. Meanwhile in the back of my mind, I try to remember what Casey’s arms feel like around me and I pretend she’s holding me. If we’re watching the world burn, I want to at least burn in her arms.
There have definitely been moments of hurt and uncertainty, which has forced us to grow rapidly with each other. We make a point to show one another how important we are and it’s made us plan for our future. We aren’t in a relationship, we’re in a commitment that will last a lifetime. And I just have to remember this moment is but a small paragraph in our love story.
Sharan Dhaliwal is editor-in-chief of Burnt Roti. Follow her on Twitter at @peatreebojangle


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-04-28--Homemade Dog Treat Recipes, Because Your Pet Deserves Them Right Now

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If you’ve made it this far through the coronavirus pandemic with your mental health more or less intact, there’s a good chance it’s partly because of your dog. They’re participating in Zoom calls. They’re giving us new ways to be creative with our talents. They’re still our confidantes, our best listeners and our preferred snuggle partners.
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So how about you step it up a bit and bake something for the canine in your life? The following recipes are easy to make and guaranteed to satisfy a pooch who might be extra peckish after all those extra walks you’ve been taking.
Please remember that, just like their human companions, dogs can have a wide range of food sensitivities and allergies. Be sure to talk to your vet about how any of these treats might fit into your pet’s diet.
Sweet Potato Chews
Jen Costello, the blogger behind My Brown Newfies, is the owner of a Newfoundland named Odin and a Corgi named Finn. After buying bags of sweet potato chews for them, she had a revelation: “It’s just sweet potatoes, so it’s a single ingredient treat,” she told HuffPost. “Why was I buying these and not making them?”
Here’s her recipe for a chew that’s similar to the packaged version, at a fraction of the cost.
My Brown Newfies
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Get the DIY Dehydrated Sweet Potato Chews Recipe For Dogs from My Brown Newfies
Two-Ingredient, 30-Minute Dog Treats
Kiki Kane’s actual title is “dog chef,” and she blogs frequently at Rover.com about creating everything from hearty canine bone broths to doggie birthday cakes. One of her favorite recipes is this two-ingredient wonder, which can be mixed-and-matched with ingredients you have on hand. “I love this recipe because of its extreme flexibility,” she told HuffPost.
“With so many of us at home and unable to shop regularly, it’s fantastic to have this simple recipe up your sleeve,” she said. “You can use any dog-friendly fruit or veggie you have on hand, including baby food, frozen fruit or applesauce. You and your family can get creative rolling out fun shapes and finding tasty mix-ins like shredded cheese or diced leftover meat. You’ll have a tasty treat for your dog in under 30 minutes.”
Courtesy of Kiki Kane
Vet’s Favorite Peanut Butter Dog Recipe
Jennifer Coates is a Colorado-based veterinarian and author of Dictionary of Veterinary Terms: Vet-speak Deciphered for the Non-Veterinarian. She’s also on the advisory board for Pet Life Today, for which she created a simple peanut butter dog biscuit recipe.
Courtesy of Jennifer Coates
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Kol’s Easy Cheesy Dog Treats
Kolchak is a puggle (or pug beagle mix) owned by Jodi Chick of the Kol’s Notes blog. “I would be a wreck without him here to share my days with right now,” she told HuffPost. “He’s pretty much convinced that my sole purpose at home is to be making him snacks.”
Chick described the recipe as “super forgiving,” and added, “I’ve tested it with several kinds of oil, countless types of cheese and both regular and gluten-free flour. Every time they come out great. No matter how often I make these, Kolchak always sits at the oven and waits — and then harasses me while they cool. It’s both obnoxious and endearing.”
Kol's Notes
Turkey Power Bars
Carmen Velasquez, a blogger from The Honest Kitchen, is more appreciative than ever of her senior dog, Abba. “She spent the last 10 years going in to work each day, but she adapted to working from home sooner than I did,” Velasquez told HuffPost. “I’m so grateful to her for being equally calming and hilarious.”
This doggie version of power bars accommodates creativity and substitutions. “If you don’t have quinoa flour, any flour will do,” she told HuffPost. “You can cut the bars into smaller pieces to use as training treats or as a food topper.”
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The Honest Kitchen
Get Carmen Velasquez’s recipe for Turkey Power Bars
Homemade Dog Treats
Atlanta-based Winona Rogers, who blogs at Life Family & Fun, is the owner of a Shichon puppy named Teddy and a Shitzu named Buddy. “I plead guilty to the fact that we love to spoil our dogs,” she told HuffPost. These five-ingredient treats are made with ingredients you probably already have on hand. Refrigerate them in an airtight container or freeze.