thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--Coronavirus Visiting Bans Could Isolate Lonely Care Home Residents, Families Fear

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Elderly people in care homes may think they have been abandoned as bosses restrict visitors amid the coronavirus outbreak, families fear.
Many have taken the decision to stop coming and going to protect their residents – some of whom have complex health conditions, meaning Covid-19 is more dangerous for them.
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While family members agree it is a sensible measure, they feel torn at the prospect of not being able to visit their loved ones and some fear they will think they have been abandoned.
Chris Mabey and his wife visit an elderly friend once a week with their Lakeland Terrier Archie.
The woman, 92, has no living relatives and instead sees the couple as her family.
He told HuffPost UK: “We call her ‘great aunt’, but she is actually a very close friend who we have known for more than 20 years. We are her family.
“We are concerned at what the coronavirus will bring and at 92 with failing health, she is at the extreme end of vulnerability to the virus.
“We try to visit her once a week with our dog Archie to brighten her day and he is a focal point of the visit. Not only does he bring a smile to her face, he cheers up other residents in the home who are passing by.”
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Today I visited my Great Aunt at her Care Home, I made her chuckle 😁 pic.twitter.com/AIIkRHh1Ez — ArchieLakeland (@ArchieLakeland) March 11, 2020
Archie, a five-year-old Lakeland Terrier who has more than 8,000 Twitter followers Chris Mabey
Mabey says although they have not been told to avoid the care home, he feels it is “inevitable”.
He said: “She has diminished cognitive awareness so isn’t aware of the situation and wouldn’t understand it.
“The care home will inform us when it is at lockdown and we think it will be the right thing to do as and when necessary to protect people – particularly elderly people who are more vulnerable.
“But sadly, this will mean she won’t have that interaction with Archie and won’t be able to have visitors like everyone else in the same position.”
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They also fear for the safety of the staff.
Some people are worried their loved ones won’t understand if they suddenly stop visiting – particularly if they have conditions such as dementia.
Others say they can’t keep in touch with them through alternative means of communication such as the telephone because of hearing problems.
Care homes are encouraging the use of technology to keep in touch, but some say this will be beyond the capabilities of their elderly relatives.
Mum won’t understand if I can’t visit her and they close the care home to visitors! Understand why re #cornoravirusuk but ☹ Can’t ring as she’s deaf as a post!!! #dementiasucks — L y n n Allan🐕🐕 (@YorklassLynn) March 12, 2020
Some people fear the escalation of the virus might even result in them never seeing their loved ones again.
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“Dad’s care home no longer accepting visitors. And so it begins,” wrote one Twitter user. “I know it’s irrational but there’s a chance I could never see him again.”
Another said: “My elderly mum very sick in a care home. If that locks down she will die alone. Testing should be available to show you’re clear.”
Barchester Care Homes, which runs more than 200 care homes across the UK and looks after over 11,000 residents, sent a letter to relatives telling them to stop regular visits until further notice due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Oakminster Healthcare, which runs five care homes in Glasgow, has also announced that, as a precautionary measure to protect its residents and staff, it is restricting access to all its care homes.
Please read this important information regarding the coronavirus and our care homes. pic.twitter.com/FMhndL8atX — OakminsterHealthcare (@OakminsterHC) March 13, 2020
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Donald Macaskill, chief executive at Scottish Care, is urging care homes in Scotland to close to all but essential visits.
@scottishcare is asking all #care homes in #Scotland to close to all but essential visits. This will be exceptionally hard for families, residents and staff but the protection of very vulnerable residents is essential. #coronavirus https://t.co/BJ61FX6FL2 — Donald Macaskill (@DrDMacaskill) March 13, 2020
Many other care homes across the country have taken measures to ban or restrict visitors – including B&M Care, which has 26 homes across the country and says it is “cocooning” residents by placing them in preventative isolation for two weeks.
Bosses at the Glade Residential Care Home in Southport, Merseyside, have made the decision to restrict visitors to appointment-only as a precaution to protect its elderly and vulnerable residents.
The home, which has 23 residents, has also cancelled its weekly minibus trip and halted any external visitors who provide activities at the home including quizzes, bingo, bowling and arts and crafts.
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Manager Lynsey Mylrey told HuffPost UK: “Everything happening with coronavirus is awful and although no one we know has had it, we are being cautious to protect people.
“We have had to tell families that they need to make appointments if they want to come into the home and should only come if it is necessary.
“We have also stopped our weekly minibus outing and cancelled any entertainers that come into the home.
“However, although we have stopped people coming in, we have put our own staff in place to do these activities with the residents. But it is such a shame as they look forward to people coming in.
“It was a very difficult decision to make, but at the end of the day the elderly are more prone to getting coronavirus and we need to protect them.”
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Lynsey Mylrey, manager at the Glade Residential Care Home in Southport, Merseyside
Mylrey said relatives had been very understanding and staff are encouraging different measures to make sure they can keep in touch with their loved ones.
“We have put Facetime and Skype in place and have also asked relatives to write old fashioned letters to their loved ones to keep communicating with them.
“We have also increased our staffing so we can deal with the emotional needs of residents and have more one-to-one time with them so they don’t feel lonely.”
Nadra Ahmed, chair of the National Care Association, told HuffPost UK care providers are having to make difficult decisions based on protecting not only their residents but also their staff.
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“We are doing everything possible to mitigate the risk, but we can’t eliminate it.” - Nadra Ahmed, chairman of the National Care Association
She said: “All the messages we are getting now is that coronavirus is dangerous for the vulnerable people in our homes who are in the very high risk category.”
But, she added: “People in care homes can get very anxious when relatives don’t visit, so we have got providers looking at things like opening up telephone lines so residents can take calls from their family and setting up systems where more technology is involved in communication.
“Providers have not taken these steps lightly and they will be very aware of the emotional needs of the people they are caring for.”
The government has so far only urged care homes to review visiting policies and ask relatives or friends who are unwell to stay away. Contractor work on sites should also be kept to a minimum.
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Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, urged the government to direct some of its coronavirus budget commitment towards care homes.
To visitors, she advised: “If you are worried about visiting a friend or relative in a care home, call first to check that it is OK to visit; ensure you are symptom free and follow all advice.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--'Higher Risk' Of Domestic Abuse During Coronavirus Self-Isolation, Warn Campaigners

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As the coronavirus pandemic has more of an impact for us in the UK, many people are being advised to work from home, avoid large gatherings and – if you experience symptoms – self-isolate for seven days.
But while home is widely considered the safest place to be for many, this is far from reality for victims of domestic abuse.
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“With women and couples self-isolating, there is certainly a higher risk of domestic abuse occurring,” Rebecca Hitchen, campaigns manager at the End Violence Against Women Coalition told HuffPost UK. “The many ramifications of the outbreak may also mean that women and their children could find it even harder to access safety and specialist support.”
These secondary effects of the pandemic are already being experienced in China, with activists reporting a surge in cases of domestic abuse as a result of the lockdown. Wan Fei, a retired police officer who now runs an anti-domestic violence nonprofit organisation in Jingzhou, Hubei, said the number of cases has almost doubled since the quarantine began. “The epidemic has had a huge impact on domestic violence,” the activist said. “According to our statistics, 90% of the causes of violence are related to the Covid-19 epidemic.”
An estimated 1.6 million women in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse last year. And Claire Barnett, executive director for UN Women UK, said there is “clear evidence” from across the world that in times of economic uncertainty and societal instability, this abuse increases. “When communities undergo additional stress – from disease, to drought, to their local football team losing a match – rates of violence rise,” she told HuffPost UK.
Isolation and financial abuse are common features of domestic abuse relationships, which campaigners warn will only be further exacerbated during this pandemic. “The imposition of self-isolation can amplify the abuser’s ability to restrict women’s freedoms and leave them at heightened risk,” Hitchen added.
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These comments echo the concerns of Jeremy Corbyn, who raised the issue in Prime Minister’s Questions earlier this week: “Every fortnight three women are killed by their partner or ex-partner,” he said. “Domestic violence is only likely to increase if large numbers of people are having to self isolate.”
“The imposition of self-isolation can amplify the abuser’s ability to restrict women’s freedoms.” - Rebecca Hitchen, campaigns manager at the End Violence Against Women Coalition
When asked about funding needed to support survivors of domestic abuse, Boris Johnson replied: “We’ve just put record funding back into councils to support them in all their responsibilities... We are committed to bringing forward a victims’ law to guarantee victims’ rights and this government has an outstanding record in tackling violence against women and girls. That is why we are taking forward, in this parliament, our landmark domestic violence bill.”
At a time when public services – including hospitals, shelters and refuges – are likely to be stretched, Barnett said we need to support the vulnerable and isolated within our communities.
“It is crucial that decision makers consider the high levels of domestic abuse in the UK, and ensure that there is effective support in place for those to whom home is a place of danger, rather than safety,” said Hitchen.
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If you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police. If you are not in immediate danger, you can contact:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--What To Binge-Watch If You're Staying Indoors This Weekend, As Recommended By Team HuffPost

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With much of the country choosing to spend more time indoors as the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread, the need for some good boxsets has never been greater.
But with so many streaming services these days (not to mention the upcoming Disney+), actually choosing what to watch can often be a little overwhelming.
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To make your decisions easier, we asked around the HuffPost UK office for the shows our team has been binging on over the last few weeks.
So whether you’re after a classic 00s drama, a fascinating documentary or just some guilt-free reality telly, our recommendations should have you covered...
Drive To Survive – Netflix
Recommended by Lisa Golden, Video producer
As someone who has taken absolutely no notice of Formula One my entire life, this documentary series is so engaging and exciting. It has all the trappings of a brilliant scripted drama – high stakes, huge egos, danger, speed, power plays, everything. It’s really accessible for people who aren’t into sport and is a fascinating insight into the world of racing. You get to know the drivers, the stars of the F1 world but who ultimately take direction from their team principles, who in turn often have team owners to answer to when their team does poorly.
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Not knowing who won any of the races also means I’m normally clutching my couch cushions yelling at my laptop at the end of every episode which normally ends in a nail-biting race.
Home – All4
Recommended by Paul Waugh, Executive editor, Politics
Home, a comedy/drama about a Syrian refugee who turns up in the back of an English suburban family’s car on their return from holiday, is truly wonderful.
Written by and starring Rufus Jones (W1A), it’s both very funny and very moving. It hasn’t had the publicity other shows have, but it’s a real treat. And best of all if you’ve missed it, there are TWO seasons, so it’s very manageable.
Escape To The Chateau – All4
Recommended by Matt Bagwell, Head of Entertainment
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The great thing about being late to the party when it comes to a TV series is that you can blissfully binge series after series – which is exactly what I’ve been doing with the brilliant Escape To the Chateau. The other great thing about this Channel 4 show, which is now six series in after debuting in 2016, is it provides pure escapism from the real world – something we could all do with right now.
In a nutshell, the series follows husband and wife Dick and Angel, who move to France and buy a 19th century chateau. As you do. We follow them – and their two young children – as they restore the 19th-century Château de la Motte-Husson to its former glory, thanks to Dick’s engineering skills and Angel’s eye for design. It’s basically a Changing Rooms/Location Location Location/A Place In the Sun hybrid fairytale, and quite how I’ve existed without this show in my life until now is a mystery.
Ladhood – BBC iPlayer
Recommended by Harry Slater, Head of Audience
All you really need to know about Liam Williams’ Ladhood is that Kathy Burke – Kathy Burke! – praised his tender BBC Three comedy for its “brilliant writing and perfect cast”.
Adapted from radio, Ladhood follows Liam as a grownup and teenager through flashbacks that trace issues in his present day life back to his suburban adolescence in Garforth. It’s like a smarter, more touching Inbetweeners, without being painfully woke.
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Love Is Blind – Netflix
Recommended by Daniel Welsh, Entertainment reporter
You might have heard about Netflix’s weird and wonderful dating show Love Is Blind, which sees single folks getting engaged to complete strangers that they’ve never actually met face-to-face.
The whole thing is as wild as it sounds, packed with moments as fittingly outrageous as the original premise would suggest, but as the episodes roll on, you also find yourself rooting for some of the unlikely couples too. Plus, what more appropriate a time is there to watch love blossom between people who are in isolation?
House Of The Year – All4
Recommended by Brogan Driscoll, Life editor
If you’re a fan of Kevin McCloud’s Grand Designs, may I introduce you to House Of The Year. Kev and his RIBA pals (that’s the Royal Institute of British Architects to you and me) tour the UK to view a shortlist gorgeously designed houses, before they crown the winner at the end of episode four.
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In each episode you get five properties for the price of one, without any of the “will they finish the build on time?” anxiety. Great if you’re both nosy and impatient, like me.
At Home With The Braithwaites – BritBox
Recommended by Ash Percival, Entertainment editor
I’m still absolutely smarting that neither Bad Girls or Footballers’ Wives have yet made their way onto BritBox, but there’s still some hidden gems among the BBC and ITV’s subscription service. One such example – nestled between the usual suspects like of Gavin & Stacey and Absolutely Fabulous – is early 00s comedy/drama At Home With The Braithwaites.
Starring Amanda Redman and Peter Davidson, it follows the Braithwaite family after whose lives are turned on their heads when mum Alison wins £38 million on the lottery – even if it takes her a while to let on that she’s scooped the jackpot. But as slowly becomes apparent, money doesn’t always erase your problems, as the family still have to navigate a series of domestic and personal nightmares.
Big Little Lies – Amazon Prime
Recommended by Rachael Revesz, acting Opinion editor
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Meryl Streep plays the slightly creepy, determined and sly mother of the now deceased husband of Nicole Kidman’s character.
Her screaming at the dining room table was one of the best TV moments of the past 10 years for me. Plus, Laura Derne’s epic breakdown with her husband was such a good subplot. Brilliant.
Peep Show – All4 / Netflix
Recommended by Becky Barnes, Audience editor
I’d always suggest rewatching the greatest show ever made – Peep Show. If you haven’t seen this sitcom before, it stars a pre-global fame Olivia Colman as Sophie, alongside David Mitchell and Robert Webb as Mark and Jeremy.
Not safe for work, not safe for kids, not safe for watching with your parents – but if you need a dark laugh or 10, it’s perfect.
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The Stranger – Netflix
Recommended by Jacqui Housden, News editor
A classic ‘squeaky-clean suburban life is actually hiding a terrible secret’ drama, this has everything you need for a cheap thrill. The dialogue is dreadful, the acting is barely average, but that gives another layer of unintended comedy, to what is a very gripping series.
Catastrophe – All4
Recommended by Brogan Driscoll, Life editor
Following a one night stand that ends up lasting for a week, Sharon finds out she’s pregnant with Rob’s child. He relocates to London from the US (they’d met when he was travelling on business) to give things a go. It’s everyone’s worst nightmare, but somehow they make it work.
I love how flawed both of their characters are – she’s self-centred and hot headed; he’s an alcoholic who works for an evil pharmaceutical company – and they surround themselves with equally terrible friends and family. It makes me laugh out loud at every episode.
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Sharon Horgan and Rob Delaney co-wrote and starred in this masterpiece. I’m just gutted there isn’t a fifth series… yet.
Love Island series 3 – BritBox
Recommended by Ash Percival, Entertainment editor
I tell anyone that will listen that the third series of Love Island was a gift sent from the reality TV gods, so if you’ve only got into the show recently – or indeed have a Love Island-shaped hole in your heart following the finale of the winter series – I urge you to check it out.
As I’ve previously written about, it boasts some of the most iconic Islanders in the show’s history who bring the laughs and dramz in equal measure.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--'It's Robbed Me Of A Wonderful Time': We're Heavily Pregnant In The Coronavirus Pandemic

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From antenatal classes to midwife appointments and NCT meet-ups – your last trimester of pregnancy is usually bursting with social occasions. Even maternity leave can be a frenzied period, made up of last-minute coffees with friends, or shopping to stock up on supplies for your imminent new arrival.
But with the world in the grip of a coronavirus pandemic – and with many people choosing to, or having to, self-isolate – women expecting a baby in the next few weeks will have a very different experience indeed.
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Many may feel added anxiety at what is already a turbulent time, even though current medical advice suggests pregnant women are no more susceptible to coronavirus than anyone else, and there is no evidence that the virus can pass to your developing baby. But that doesn’t stop mums-to-be worrying.
“The main thing I want to know is, will my husband be able to stay with me?” says expectant mum Elly Branner. “I’m concerned they may limit visitors and extend to birth partners. We have our 32-week scan later today. To be honest, it’s the lack of information that is more perplexing. I’d rather be brave and prepared for a worst case than a ‘hope for the best’ scenario.”
Some are considering home births – mum-to-be Zosia is hoping her midwife will be able to talk through alternative birthing options. “I imagine they are all inundated with questions like this at the moment,” she says. “As a first-time mum, this is a very unanticipated extra worry.”
Victoria Cameron, 43, lives in Glasgow, and is due on 3 April. “It’s my first baby, which I conceived through IVF. I’m keeping well, but I keep thinking I’d hate to be ill when trying to give birth – the mere thought of pushing this baby out is terrifying in itself, without being ill at the same time!”
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She’s largely been staying at home anyway, as she’s “so big, heavy and gets tired so easily”. But she’s still attending the hospital for midwife appointments and scans, as well as antenatal classes at her local hospital. “Interestingly, last week everyone sat next to each other, but on Wednesday night, everyone walked in, sanitised their hands and sat with one chair in between each person.”
“I notice myself jumping out of the way of anyone who is coughing around me.”
Cameron is due to meet up with 10 friends on Sunday for a get-together before her baby arrives, but she’s left wondering if it’s a good idea. “And yesterday, I was out shopping and noticed myself jumping out the way of anyone coughing around me,” she adds.
“Also, lots of friends have been messaging me telling me to bulk-buy formula and nappies while I can. I hadn’t considered that but they’re probably right.”
Halfpoint via Getty Images
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The mum-to-be describes it as an “odd thing” to be experiencing while pregnant. “You feel so protective of your bump, and your immune system isn’t as effective,” she says. “And of course, when the baby arrives, you want them to be healthy and happy. The last thing you want to worry about is a pandemic.”
For Hannah Whitten, 28, the experience is a “really worrying and heartbreaking time”. She lives in Malaga and is expecting her first baby on 17 March. “Everything was going to plan... until now,” she says.
Whitten has been off on maternity leave for two weeks and has enjoyed getting out, going for walks and meeting friends for breakfast. “But now, as the media has gone crazy with reporting and people I know are contracting it, I’ve chosen to stay in,” she says.
Keith Brofsky via Getty Images
Family members who were due to fly out from the UK for her birth are having to change plans or not come out at all. “It’s not how I imagined the birth of our first baby and it’s left me really upset,” she says. “It’s scary to even go outside.”
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“It’s not how I imagined the birth of our first baby and it’s left me really upset.”
Whitten says the virus has completely taken away her excitement and replaced it with nothing but fear and stress. “I find myself cleaning the flat constantly. It has completely robbed me of what should be the most wonderful time of my life,” she says.
“It’s sad now, too, because when baby is here, I was excited to have people over and go for walks. But now I can’t see us leaving the house, and I’m not allowing visitors for a while. It’s all so sad.” If you’re self-isolating, there are ways you can do it without getting cabin fever. Read more the latest advice and information on coronavirus.
Useful websites and helplines:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--How To Support An Older Friend Or Relative During Coronavirus Social-Distancing

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“Many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time.” Those were the sombre words uttered by Boris Johnson on Thursday, as he announced that the UK is moving to a ‘delay’ phase to try and slow the coronavirus pandemic.
His words will have understandably left many worried for their elderly friends or relatives. The health secretary said the over-70s will be asked to self-isolate “in the coming weeks” to protect themselves from coronavirus – and this could last for up to four months.
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Ruthe Isden, head of health influencing at Age UK, believes now is a great time to start making preparations, as social-distancing measures tighten.
Antonio Saba via Getty Images
“Some older people may already want to reduce their social contact and we should support them to do that,” she tells HuffPost UK. “But, of course, as the chief medical officer laid out yesterday, there may come a point over the next few weeks where we’re asking older people to self-isolate – in which case, clearly that’s going to be quite a challenging time.
“It’s incumbent on all of us – families, communities, neighbourhoods – to step up and think about what we can do to support people.”
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So what can you do to help? Isden and online pharmacist Shamir Patel have shared their advice for helping to keep loved ones safe and well-connected in the coming months.
It’s important our older friends and relatives understand the implications of a widespread outbreak of coronavirus. “Younger relatives should speak to them to ensure they’re taking measures to protect themselves,” says Patel. “Often, older generations are stoic and may underestimate the impact catching coronavirus could have on their own health.”
You don’t want to sound patronising, though. Ask them if they’re prepared and if they need help with anything, he says. If they seem unsure about what steps to take, you could gently ask questions, such as: do you have all the medication you need? What plans do you have over the next couple of weeks? “It will hopefully open up the conversation so you can suggest tips and advice,” he adds.
What else should you cover in that conversation? Here are five things you could speak to your older friend or relative about, amid the coronavirus outbreak.
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1. The importance of hand-washing.
Following good, basic hygiene is so important right now. In fact, says Isden, “it is the single most important thing anybody can do” – and yes, that means everyone.
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This week a palliative care doctor, Rachel Clarke, said she’d had conversations with the over-70s in her family and was shocked that none of them were rigorously following the hand-washing protocols. “As an NHS doctor, I cannot express enough the importance of persuading your parents/grandparents why hand hygiene right now is utterly vital,” she said.
Dr Clarke urged others to ensure their elders understand the first thing they must do when they get home is to wash their hands for 20 seconds with soap and water. They should also be washing hands after arriving in any new locations, after meeting anyone, before eating and drinking, and after coughing, sneezing or touching their face, she said. “This advice may save their life. And will certainly slow [the] spread.”
2. The need for supplies.
“At this stage, they [older people] shouldn’t isolate themselves, but they do need to try and avoid large crowds, such as supermarkets,” says Patel, who is founder of online pharmacy Chemist 4 U.
If you’re able to, organise a supermarket rota system so you can share the load with a few other friends or relatives. You could go and get their food shop yourself, or offer to organise an online shop for them. If they’re savvy when it comes to the digital world, it might be easier to show them how to do an online shop for themselves.
“Ensure they have adequate amounts of antibacterial gel available to carry with them when out and about,” says Patel. “Explain how important it is that they have access to several weeks of medications, food and supplies in case they need to stay home for prolonged periods of time.”
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If stricter social-distancing measures come into place, it might be hard to pop to the doctor’s to pick up medication. Patel says it’s worth checking if it’s possible to get their prescriptions ordered online and sent directly to them.
3. The exercise they could do.
We need to be thinking about how older people can maintain their health and wellbeing if they do have to stay indoors for long periods of time. We therefore shouldn’t be overlooking the importance of physical activity. “It really won’t be good for people if they’re immobile,” says Isden.
At the moment it’s business as usual, so encourage your friend or relative to keep going on walks, swimming or attending classes, she adds. But if it gets to the point where people need to stay indoors, support them to stay active in their house and garden. Let them know about apps, YouTube videos, online classes and fitness DVDs they could use instead. Even gardening and doing housework can be a good form of exercise.
4. The ways they can connect with people.
Preventing loneliness and social isolation is hugely important for health – both mental and physical. If you can’t see someone face-to-face, make sure you’re keeping in regular contact by phone, post or online, if possible.
“Let them know that if they feel lonely or isolated, it’s okay to give you a call; either just for a chat or for help and support,” says Patel.
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You might also want to set your elderly relative up with internet over the next few weeks, says Isden, and teach them how to use FaceTime or Skype. You could dig out an old laptop, iPad or other tech hand-me-down – then teach them how to use it.
The next few weeks are a critical time to practise doing this, before we move to stricter measures. It’s estimated we’re four weeks behind Italy in terms of the virus’ spread. “I would strongly urge people to go and visit their older relatives now before social-distancing measures come into place,” adds Patel.
This is providing, of course, that you feel well enough to do so. If you don’t and you’re due to visit a parent or grandparent – perhaps for Mother’s Day – you have to be strict. Don’t visit. It’s not worth putting them at risk.
5. The hobbies that could keep them busy.
“Obviously there’s a big focus on getting them practical items like food and medication, but I’d also urge people to get things to help them carry on with hobbies,” says Isden.
If you know a keen knitter, for example, make sure they’ve got plenty of craft supplies to last them. The same as if they love to read, make sure they’ve got plenty of books, newspapers and puzzle books on hand. With magazines and newspapers, you could also set them up with digital versions or subscriptions.
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You may not be able to provide this face-to-face, so why not send something in the post? After all, we all love to get something in the mail – it’s a nice surprise and shows us we’re being thought of.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--21 Rice Recipes To Make From Your Cupboard

As news of the coronavirus outbreak escalates, more and more people have been either self-quarantined or urged to work from home, sparking a flurry of panicked shopping for staples like toilet paper, pasta, canned goods, hand sanitiser and soap.
If you’re one of the many people worried about what you can possibly cook with pantry staples, these rice recipes should relieve some pressure. First, make sure you have rice in your pantry, and plenty of it, whether it’s white, brown, basmati or jasmine. Keep in mind that if you’re looking to stay fuller for longer, aim for brown rice over white rice, as it has a higher fibre content.
Regardless of whether there’s a pandemic, rice is always a good thing to have on hand. It’s an affordable, versatile and easy-to-prepare staple that can be transformed into a delicious meal with just a few delicious add-ins. Make sure you keep some flavour-packed ingredients handy, like a jar of kimchi, some sharp cheese, canned pineapple (think fried rice), dried herbs and spices, canned beans and plenty of frozen vegetables.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--It's Time To Get Creative In How We Tackle Loneliness During Coronavirus Outbreak

With 73% of people in the UK admitting they don’t know the people around them, we may re-discover the value of neighbourliness. Getty Images/iStockphoto
It feels like another time. Ten days ago, on 3rd March, as the coronavirus was first spreading in the UK, health secretary Matt Hancock was asked on Radio 4’s Today Programme whether people who have a cough should visit elderly relatives. His answer was striking then, and it’s striking now: “If you’ve got a cough you normally shouldn’t visit a vulnerable relative – that’s just being polite.”
For those of us working to reduce social isolation and loneliness in communities, particularly amongst older people who are the most vulnerable to the effects of the new virus, this was a microcosm of the health, social and ethical dilemmas we are facing as the Covid-19 epidemic spreads – pitching our basic instinct for survival against our human need to connect.
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On the one hand, the advice is to continue more or less as normal – to take precautions by washing our hands and sneezing into our sleeves, but not to take dramatic action to suspend social interaction. The rationale is that this would help to contain the spread of the virus and push it into the spring and summer. It would help the NHS to prepare. And it would ensure that people won’t become fatigued by ‘social distancing’ and start interacting again at precisely the time when the virus reaches a peak.
On the other hand, community organisations work with people they know and care deeply about. Older people are already presenting with symptoms and fear – and younger people too. Could community groups really continue to encourage close social contact across long-standing social and structural divides, knowing that the virus is already in the population and spreading fast? How many of our friends, neighbours, colleagues and loved ones would become seriously ill, or die?
“There will be many different responses to the coronavirus epidemic, just as there have been many responses to the loneliness epidemic.”
This week our organisation made the choice to play our part in protecting older and younger neighbours now, by temporarily suspending important programmes which bring generations together in person. We did this because many of the participants in our community are the most at risk. But as we grappled with this profound dilemma and made a decision to be proactive in order to protect our neighbours’ health as a first priority, it felt like we were shutting down something we’ve worked for 10 years to create. We may not know for months whether we made the right decision.
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What is certain is that the coming months will bring social isolation and loneliness – amongst the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the supposedly strong and the apparently vulnerable – into sharper focus. And what is also certain is that we need to stay together – not just now, but in normal times too.
In the coming days and weeks, communities across the country and the world will continue to face the dilemma. There will be many different responses to the coronavirus epidemic, just as there have been many responses to the loneliness epidemic. In times of temporary social distancing, those same communities will be forced to test even more new ideas without fully knowing what the outcomes will be.
At The Cares Family we’ve invited older and younger people to share messages, videos, poems, stories, drawings, as well as book and film recommendations, digitally. We’re also encouraging people to spend more time on the phone while they are physically apart. A relative in Italy who’s already been at home for a week told me about the re-found joys and laughter through chatting to old friends on the phone. It offered me a little hope.
It’s not just community groups and health services that will need to adapt, but individuals too. Some people will choose to put notes through self-isolating neighbours’ doors, offering to pick up a pint of milk and a loaf of bread to leave on a doorstep. New conversations from window to window may occur, and new solidarities may be forged. With 73% of people in the UK admitting they don’t know the people around them, we may rediscover the value of neighbourliness.
We really do need each other, and to know each other. Our lives truly are intertwined. And when this awful moment is over, we must take the opportunity as neighbours, friends, colleagues and nations to ensure that we turn that moment into a movement – of community, togetherness and connection in a disconnecting age.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--Please Stop Treating Me Like I’m Disposable When You Talk About The Coronavirus

Getty Images HuffPost UK
“It’s fine, you don’t need to worry. It’s not a big deal. Only certain vulnerable populations, like the elderly and those with certain preexisting conditions, will be affected.”
I read this message or some variation of it over and over again in the early weeks of the covid-19 outbreak. It came from many people and many places. It was on Twitter, on TV, in newspaper articles. None of the people who gave this message seemed to consider the possibility that they might be delivering it to someone who could fall into one of those categories of vulnerable populations — nor did they seem to notice that it painted those populations as being disposable.
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And indeed, this feeling of disposability and invisibility has been shared by many in the disability community in the wake of the coronavirus.
Today, I wiped a small patch of skin down with an alcohol swab, pinched a small section of my belly and injected my subcutaneous tissue with an immunosuppressive substance known as a biologic. I do this regularly, and I have since high school.
These medications, along with others I take — including low-dose methotrexate, a form of chemotherapy — work to intentionally suppress my immune system.
I take these types of medications because I have an autoimmune disease, meaning my immune system mistakes healthy tissue for being “bad stuff” (viruses and infections) and attacks itself. When my immune system is in overdrive, I am sick and my illness flares. Weakening my immune system gives my body a chance to fight back against itself. It also weakens my ability to fight off the actual ‘bad stuff’ — for example: the coronavirus.
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The lens of my experience has come into play in several ways since the outbreak — the first and foremost being that I am vulnerable to the coronavirus, and that it would affect me in a way that would be significantly worse than if I had a healthy immune system should I contract it.
Another is that in a way, I’m more prepared: I’ve been immunosuppressed for enough time that long before the panic over covid-19 hit, I carried around wet wipes and hand sanitiser, washed and moisturised my hands meticulously multiple times a day, made sure to stay stocked up on soap and Clorox, always looked at the free samples at Costco with wistful longing but never took one, and, yes, even learned how to be careful to not touch my face.
I think of navigating public health as being similar to driving a car: Even if you’re a good, safe driver, you can still get into an accident because you can’t be sure other people on the road are also good, safe drivers. I learned a long time ago that I have to be careful when it comes to these sorts of precautions because other people won’t be. I have to value my health because other people will not. I have to take the risk seriously because other people aren’t. And the way people have spoken about the coronavirus has also reminded me that I have to value my life — because other people do not.
Disabled people, as well as the elderly, have been talked about as if we’re disposable. I’m not talking about the incredibly difficult decisions being made by the hardworking doctors in Italy and other areas who are having to figure out how to distribute supplies with a critical shortage of resources.
I’m talking about tweets assuring people that no one of importance would be affected, the president’s total denial about the severity of the situation, Sen. Lamar Alexander’s move to block legislation that would require employers to give workers two weeks of paid sick leave during public health emergencies, and employers who are refusing to give paid sick leave, particularly to those in low-wage positions such as food service workers and home health aides, who especially need to be able to stay home if they get infected.
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I’m also talking about things like the sudden availability of accessibility for remote work and remote education – despite the fact that many disabled and chronically ill people have been denied such accessibility in the past – that tell disabled people we don’t matter enough to make an effort for.
I’m talking about things like the lack of testing availability. I’m talking about things like people disregarding the advice of scientists – advice like: You don’t need a mask unless you yourself are sick; immediately begin to socially isolate yourself; wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands – because they’re not worried about a flu. I’m talking about hoarding resources, which leaves the most vulnerable populations unable to access them or afford them as sellers raise prices based on demand.
And, yes, I’m talking about things like the lack of support for policies like Medicare for All in light of a pandemic that demonstrates how and why free health care is so important.
Six in 10 adults in the United States have a chronic condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and four in 10 have more than one. I’m one of those with multiple chronic illnesses (or ‘comorbidities’, if you want to get fancy about it).
I’ve long known that I’m the No. 1 person looking out for myself, my health and my well-being when it comes to me being immunosuppressed. But finding out that so many folks haven’t been disinfecting their phones and doorknobs – and worse, the “Is it REALLY necessary to wash your hands after going to the bathroom?” conversation that erupted on Twitter – did not inspire much confidence in my fellow humans to take care of themselves or others.
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Those most negatively affected by this pandemic are the most vulnerable — those who are disabled or chronically ill, those who do not have access to things like clean water and soap, those who cannot avoid public transportation, who will be afraid to take a day off, who will be afraid to seek medical care for fear of deportation, who will avoid getting medical attention because they simply cannot afford it. These are the people who are most affected when you decide you don’t have to pay attention to this, when you decide you will be fine, when you oppose paid sick leave, when you ignore what doctors are saying about how to “flatten the curve.”
“Show immunocompromised people that you know that we matter, and take small steps to show us we’re not alone in facing this daunting virus.”
Yes, you will have to actively change your behavior because of other people. This is going to be significantly harder since our country isn’t taking the same steps as other nations, such as guaranteeing paid sick leave, suspending mortgage payments and other measures, to discourage those infected from leaving their homes.
If you get sick, please stay home. I’ve been homebound before, and I know it can suck to be stuck inside in isolation for so long. Find some Netflix shows to binge, eat some Spaghetti-Os or declutter your email inbox — just stay home, please. (It’s easier said than done for those living paycheck to paycheck who’d lose out on two weeks of income ― I don’t have an answer for that, except to continue to push your government officials for paid sick leave.)
This is one of those situations where our actions become about more than just ourselves. Your decision to go to a club despite feeling unwell, your neglect to wash your hands after touching the banisters in public stairwells, your dismissing the outbreak as something you don’t have to pay attention to because it won’t affect you — there is a very real likelihood that those sorts of behaviours will have a very real impact on those like me, who do have compromised immune systems.
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The best thing you could do to keep others safe is take precautions. Learn about social distancing. Avoid going out into crowded places, wash your hands frequently and stay home if you feel sick. Fight for paid sick leave. I’m asking for your help in keeping me and others like me safe.
Show immunocompromised people that you know that we matter, and take small steps to show us we’re not alone in facing this daunting virus.
If you care about people, then care about vulnerable people as well. Take care of others by taking care of yourself — not just now, but after COVID-19 has slowed its spread, too. How we talk and what we do now matters. We’re here, and we are not disposable.
This article first appeared on HuffPost US Personal.
Have a compelling personal story you want to tell? Find out what we’re looking for here, and pitch us on ukpersonal@huffpost.com


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--Spain Announces Nationwide Lockdown To Contain Coronavirus Spread

A man wears a face mask at the Gran Via avenue in downtown in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, March 14, 2020. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Spanish authorities are set to impose a partial lockdown from Monday as part of a 15-day state of emergency plan to combat the coronavirus, according to a leaked official decree draft seen by Reuters.
The government will say all inhabitants must stay home except to buy food, go to the pharmacy, to the hospital, or to work or for other emergencies.
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Bars, restaurants, conference centres and all leisure and sports activities - including cinemas, theatres, swimming pools or football grounds - will be shut down.
A source with knowledge of the talks said the measures that are part of the lockdown could change in Saturday’s cabinet talks.
All public transport would be curtailed, the draft showed, with airline, train, bus and boat operators told they need to cut their services by at least half and that any plane, train, bus or other means of transport can only be a third full.
The draft decree does not, however, foresee closing the country’s borders.
Employers would have the obligation to let their workers work remotely and judicial proceedings will be suspended.
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Spain’s Interior Ministry would control all police forces, including local and regional ones, under the 15-day emergency.
The health and transport ministries would also have nationwide reach, taking over some local or regional powers, according to the draft, which Catalan and Basque leaders immediately criticised.
Spain is the second hardest-hit country in Europe after Italy, with 193 deaths and 6,250 cases so far, public broadcaster TVE said, well up from 120 deaths reported on Friday.
The draft says the lockdown will begin on Monday at 8 am (0700, GMT) while all other measures will enter into force as soon as the decree is published in the official journal.
The government did not comment on the details of the leaks, also reported in Spanish media, but said that only the final version will be valid.
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Tourists wearing masks walk past closed stalls at La Boqueria market in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, March 14, 2020. ASSOCIATED PRESS
With schools shut across Spain and a first package of economic steps announced on Thursday, the government had also been expected to announce economic and social measures on Saturday to mitigate the impact of the fight against the coronavirus.
But ministers failed to agree in a seven-hour cabinet meeting on Saturday on what these should be, a source close to the negotiations told Reuters. The source added that the government would aim to agree on the measures on Tuesday.
A news conference with Sanchez, initially announced for 1pm GMT, was delayed and was now scheduled for 7pm GMT.
The draft decree would also allow the government to ration supplies and requisition factories and buildings.
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It did not detail what the sanctions would be for breaching the lockdown or other aspects of the state of emergency.
Earlier in the day, authorities in Madrid urged people to stay home, Madrid and the southern city of Seville announced the cancellation of hugely popular Holy Week celebrations and shops in several regions had already shut down.
Sanchez’s leftwing government took few steps at first to impose tough measures and changed tack only this week. The opposition has criticised the government for letting events like International Women’s Day marches go ahead a week ago.
National and regional authorities have said they reacted appropriately, taking stronger measures when the number of cases started soaring on Monday.
In an increasingly deserted capital city, posters put up by the city authorities read: “The best option to prevent the propagation of the virus is to stay at home.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--Robyn Williams' Dismissal From The Met Will Damage "Black Community’s Trust In Police," Says Former

Robyn Williams' Dismissal From The Met Will Damage "Black Community’s Trust In Police," Says Former Superintendent

“An outrageous decision, but unfortunately, not a surprise making Robyn just another statistic of disproportionality experienced by officers and staff of African, Caribbean and Asian descent (ACA). Outrageous, as 36 years of an exemplary and distinguished career are over in just a few hours.”
The 1999 Macpherson report into the investigation of the murder of Stephen Lawrence found the Met police to be “institutionally racist”.
“There are guidelines that allow for discretion, however Robyn was not afforded this privilege from start to finish of the process,” it added.
“Despite the unprecedented and overwhelming expressions of support from colleagues, communities of London and beyond, calling for Robyn to continue to serve London, their voices were ignored.”
The Met denies allegations that race had any bearing on the decision to dismiss Williams.
A force spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “It is completely wrong to suggest this serious matter involving possession of an indecent image of a child being sexually abused was pursued due to the ethnicity of the defendants.
“The Met investigates without fear or favour every day and the public rightly expects us to act when allegations of crime are reported to us, even more so when those allegations involve a police officer.
“It would be entirely wrong for criminal allegations of this severity to be dealt with ‘internally’ in this case.”
Williams said she is “disappointed and devastated” by the decision, according to the Police Superintendents Association, which was supporting her through the trial and the disciplinary process.
She continues to deny any wrongdoing and is appealing against her conviction and sentence.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--France To Shut Down All Non-Essential Businesses Amid Coronavirus Fears

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France will shut most shops, restaurants and entertainment facilities from midnight on Saturday as part of measures to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, prime minister Edouard Philippe said.
He was speaking at a news conference after the public health authority said 91 people had died in France and almost 4,500 were now infected.
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Philippe said the government had been left with no choice but to take the decision because too many people were still out in the streets and not sufficiently applying measures that were recently announced.
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe delivers a speech to announce new measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, the new coronavirus, on March 14, 2020, in Paris. THOMAS SAMSON via Getty Images
That, he said, was helping accelerate the spread of the virus.
“I have decided to close all non-indispensable locations,” he said, adding that exceptions to the shop ban would include food stores, pharmacies and petrol stations.
“We must absolutely limit our movements.”
However, he said local elections on Sunday would go ahead.
Jerome Salomon, the head of the French public health authority, said there had been a rapid increase in serious cases, including 300 people in intensive care, half of whom were below 60 years of age.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--Coronavirus: US Extends Europe Travel Ban To UK And Ireland

President Donald Trump speaks during a briefing on coronavirus in the Brady press briefing room at the White House, Saturday, March 14, 2020, in Washington, as U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, listen. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Vice President Mike has announced that the country’s coronavirus travel ban on Europe will be extended to the UK and Ireland at midnight EST on Monday (04:00 GMT Tuesday).
He said: “In our taskforce meeting today the president has made a decision to suspend all travel to the UK and Ireland, effective midnight Monday night, eastern standard time.”
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Pence said there had been a “unanimous recommendation” from health experts to extend the travel ban.
“Americans in the UK or Ireland can come home, legal residents can come home…they will will be funnelled through specific airports and processed.”
It comes immediately after President Donald Trump said an announcement about this would be forthcoming on Saturday.
Trump also confirmed that he had been tested for coronavirus.
Asked about the US travel ban, a British Airways spokesman cited the airline’s “book with confidence” policy.
Customers who are booked to fly with the airline between March 14 and May 31 can cancel their booking and receive a voucher for the same value.
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The airline’s website says: “Vouchers are valid for 12 months and can be used to any destination.
“Your voucher can be used as part payment towards a future booking to any destination. It must be redeemed for travel on flights taken within 12 months of your original date of departure.”
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “With countries, including the US, banning travel from the UK and more airlines pulling routes from their schedules, passengers urgently need clear information about their upcoming journeys, the support they will be offered if abroad and plans to ensure they get home safely.
“For anyone whose return flight to the UK is cancelled, it’s rarely a good idea to accept a refund as doing so ends the airline’s duty of care to you.
“Instead insist on the airline meeting its obligations to get you home on the earliest available alternative flight - with another carrier if necessary.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--Coronavirus: Ten New Deaths In England

Coronavirus: Ten New Deaths In England

NHS England has issued statements on behalf of nine hospital trusts regarding the 10 new patients who have died and had tested positive for Covid-19.
Not all trusts released details about their patients, but the patients who died were generally elderly and had underlying health conditions.
The UK’s chief medical officer, professor Chris Whitty, said all of the latest to die were patients in “at-risk” groups.
The reported deaths were from across England, including Buckinghamshire, Leicester, London, and Chester.
Professor Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, said: “I am sorry to confirm 10 further patients who have tested positive for Covid-19 in England have died.
“All 10 individuals were in the at risk groups. I understand this increase in the number of deaths linked to Covid-19 will be a cause for concern for many.
“The public should know every measure we are taking is seeking to save lives and protect the most vulnerable.
“Every single one of us has a role to play in achieving this. If you have a new continuous cough or high temperature, please stay at home for seven days.
“I also encourage everyone to be washing their hands for 20 seconds regularly.
“I offer my sincere condolences to the families and friends who have received this difficult news. I ask that their privacy is respected at this time.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--'Total Pandemonium': Trump’s Abrupt European Travel Ban Sows Chaos

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Leah Rachel von Essen was asleep in a Spanish Airbnb in the early hours of Thursday morning, local time, when the Trump administration’s surprise European travel ban quickly sent her packing.
“I woke up at 3:30am to about four missed calls and a billion texts from my parents,” she said.
Travel writer Christine Lee, meanwhile, was in bed in Prague.
“My husband woke me up. He never wakes me up,” she told HuffPost.
On Wednesday night, as doctors and public health officials worried about the US health system’s woefully inadequate testing abilities in the face of a nationwide coronavirus outbreak, Donald Trump announced that flights from Europe to the US would be halted for one month starting Friday, with an exception for flights from the UK.
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Details were hazy — it was not immediately apparent to Americans abroad that US citizens were not affected by the ban, or when, exactly, it took effect.
“First we were told that Trump said Friday at midnight, and so we were like, Friday in the morning or Friday at night?” Lee recalled (the ban began Friday at 11.59pm ET – 3.59am GMT).
Von Essen said that she and her parents both believed that if she did not get out of Spain immediately, she would be stuck there for the next 30 days. She rushed to the airport to see scores of American university students waiting and trying to figure out what was going on, too.
Their anxieties were shared by an untold number of travellers, some of whom were in the air destined for Europe when they discovered the news.
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In subsequent hours, Trump repeatedly muddied the waters, declaring that those Americans returning from Europe would be screened or tested for the virus, and some would be asked to undergo voluntary quarantines. He reiterated the policies at a press conference on Friday, though it remained unclear at press time what those policies would actually look like in practice.
The EU, which was not consulted before Trump’s announcement, issued a strongly worded statement denouncing it. They said coronavirus, which has devastated parts of Italy after sickening tens of thousands in China, “is a global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action.’’
The Trump administration’s move also came as a shock to the travel industry, flight attendants union president Sara Nelson told HuffPost. Some planes from Europe that were only supposed to be half-full were suddenly packed, leading to food and beverage shortages on some long-haul flights.
“There was no communication with the industry. No coordination,” Nelson said. Under normal circumstances, she explained, such a ban could take months of coordination between airlines and government agencies tasked with carrying out the president’s order. The industry was given mere hours.
“We had stories of passengers who were buying $25,000 (£19,158) tickets from Europe because they were so concerned about getting back to the United States.” - Sara Nelson, flight attendants union president
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Both passengers and flight attendants waiting on flights bound for Europe were thrown off guard. Flight attendants, some of whom were scheduled for three-day trips, weren’t sure they would be allowed back into the country. Passengers wondered the same.
“It was total pandemonium,” Nelson said. Some passengers opted not to board their flights at all rather than risk being unable to easily return.
“On the flip side,” Nelson said, “we had stories of passengers who were buying $25,000 (£19,158) tickets from Europe because they were so concerned about getting back to the United States before any sort of travel ban would be in place.”
The industry’s problems are far from over. With so much uncertainty coupled with workplace moratoriums on non-essential travel, many people are abandoning the idea of flying altogether. Boarding zones at US airports such as Newark, New Jersey, Atlanta and other cities were eerily empty following the ban.
Jennifer Berry Hawes, a reporter for South Carolina’s Post and Courier, said Wednesday night she decided to “abandon” her flight to Paris, where the same night a New York Times reporter documented scenes of “bedlam” at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport.
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Scene now at the Atlanta airport international terminal right after Trump announced no return flights from Europe for a month. @gavin_mci and I were about to board a flight out for a kick ass @postandcourier story.
One hour to decide what to do. Risk getting stranded? pic.twitter.com/NdjSsZ74Sl — Jennifer Berry Hawes (@JenBerryHawes) March 12, 2020
Von Essen, who works for the University of Chicago, was able to fly from Seville to Madrid, then from Madrid to London, and finally from London to Chicago. She called herself “extremely lucky” to have had help from her parents during the ordeal. Lee and her husband, meanwhile, were able to catch flights from Prague to Frankfurt, Germany, and from Frankfurt to Los Angeles.
The chaotic scenes sparked by the Trump administration’s sudden announcement struck many travelers as illogical. After all, if the White House wanted to mitigate Americans’ exposure to the virus, why force panicked travelers into long lines and crowds at airports ― exactly the opposite of the “social distancing” public health officials are urging?
Asked how US officials were going to handle the influx of travellers who had recently visited areas affected by the coronavirus, Trump made big promises.
“We’ll have them very heavily tested. If an American is coming back or if anybody is coming back, we’re testing. We have a tremendous testing setup where people coming in have to be tested, and if they are positive, and they’re able to get through, because, frankly, if they’re not, we’re not putting them on planes if it shows positive,” Trump said Thursday afternoon. “If they do come here, they are going to be quarantined. It’s going to be a pretty strong enforcement of quarantine.”
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Lee and Von Essen both said the screening they faced upon their return to the U.S. was no more stringent than usual.
Asked whether she was hearing about any screening efforts at airports for passengers and staff, Nelson responded definitively.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--Naomi Campbell On That Coronavirus Hazmat Suit: 'I'm Not Doing This For Laughs'

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Naomi Campbell has opened up about the headline-grabbing hazmat suit she was pictured wearing at Los Angeles International Airport earlier this week amid the coronavirus crisis.
The supermodel got candid about the precautionary measures she took before, during and after a flight to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport in a video shared to YouTube on Friday.
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Naomi admitted in the footage to being “nervous” about traveling during the outbreak, which has so far sickened more than 145,000 worldwide and killed more than 5,400.
“In all honesty, this is not a funny time. It’s not a humorous time. I’m not doing this for laughs,” Naomi said in the clip, which showed her putting on a protective suit, gloves, face mask and goggles before driving to the airport.
“This is how I feel comfortable traveling. If I have to travel,” she continued. “I’m trying to keep it at a minimum. If I do have to go, I’m going like this.”
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Elsewhere in the video, Naomi took vitamin supplements and chided airport staff for not wearing gloves while checking her documents.
She also acknowledged how her fastidious airplane seat-cleaning routine, which she revealed in a video last year, had in the past attracted its fair share of criticism. “Now, I’m not ridiculous,” she said.
Check out Naomi Campell’s latest video here:
And her 2019 airport routine video here:


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--28 Real Life Situations Perfectly Dealt With By Keeping Up Appearances' Hyacinth Bucket

For years, Keeping Up Appearances had TV audiences howling with the antics of indomitable snob Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced ‘Bouquet’), but quite frankly we reckon her “executive” way of living could teach us all a thing or two.
Here’s 28 real life situations Mrs Bucket could deal with perfectly...
1. When you know you’re looking 10 out of 10:
2. When Dad cracks a problematic joke at the dinner table:
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3. When you’re forced to visit those distant cousins:
4. When you enter your housemate’s bedroom:
5. When your mate tries to wriggle out of plans at the last minute:
6. When you’re looking for any excuse to wear that bangin’ new outfit:
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7. When bae doesn’t get that you’re really not in the mood:
8. When any b*tch tries to cross you:
9. When someone unexpectedly pulls out a camera and you’re not ready:
10. When you can’t quite hear what those people next to you are gossiping about:
11. When you eventually find out what those people next to you were gossiping about:
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12. When you just need to nip to Primark to pick up a few basics:
13. When Dad tells you how he voted in the EU referendum:
14. When you arrive at a party and no-one makes the fuss you clearly deserve:
15. When you experience sexism:
16. When you’re worried bae won’t stick to the dress code:
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17. But he then turns up looking devilishly handsome:
18. When you catch a glimpse inside your neighbour’s flat:
19. When you realise you’ve sent the message to the wrong What’sApp thread:
20. When you’re forced to make small talk with that old friend you’ve not seen since school:
.
21. When your friend brings along that mate of their’s you can’t stand:
.
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22. When you’re showing off your moves in the club:
23. When your parents have the cheek to ask you for a lift:
24. When bae doesn’t message you when he said he would:
25. When that persistent Tinder weirdo asks you on a date:
26. When you get that Monday feeling:
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27. When your mate doesn’t realise the person you are both bitching about is right behind them:
28. When you’re trying to see where all the fit lads are at:
Relive more iconic sitcom moments in the gallery below...


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--'I Don’t Take Responsibility At All': Trump Passes Buck On Coronavirus Testing Mess

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Donald Trump on Friday declared a national emergency in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, but spent much of the announcement refusing to take responsibility for testing delays and praising his own inadequate response that helped let the coronavirus spread rapidly throughout much of the country.
Joined by representatives from major US companies like Walgreens and CVS, Trump unveiled a private-sector partnership to “vastly increase and accelerate our capacity to test for the coronavirus.”
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He said half a million tests would be available by “early next week.”
“We want to make sure that those who need a test can get a test very safely, quickly and conveniently, but we don’t want people to take a test if we feel that they shouldn’t be doing it,” he said.
The national emergency declaration will also allocate up to $50b (£40.7b) in disaster relief funding to states, effective immediately, Trump said.
The president and his administration have faced intense criticism for delays in testing for the new coronavirus. Many states have reported a backlog in testing or an inability to test people who suspect they have contracted the virus.
Coronavirus tests are alarmingly hard to come by, which the top infectious disease expert at the National Institutes of Health called “a failing” on Thursday.
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Asked about the delays Friday, Trump defiantly said: “I don’t take responsibility at all.”
When asked about his demolition of Barack Obama’s pandemic response team, Trump called it “a nasty question.”
In announcing the increase in tests, Trump still appeared to downplay the public health crisis.
He said that five million tests would be available “within a month,” before adding: “I doubt we’ll need that.”
Much of the testing capability is being provided by the private sector, such as the companies in attendance Friday, as well as large hospital systems and universities. Trump repeatedly praised the companies: for instance, Walmart for providing parking lot space for tests.
“There will be many more cases, but we’ll take care of that, and ultimately as the president said, this will end,” the NIH’s Dr Anthony Fauci said Friday. “But what’s going on here today is going to help it to end sooner than it would have.”
Trump also announced measures like the creation of a website where people could type in their symptoms and determine whether they should be tested, but details of how to access it will not be made available until Sunday evening.
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For college students, most of whom are being forced out of campus housing as schools switch to remote learning, Trump said student loan interest rates would be waived. However, loan rates are currently very low, so it would have only a small impact on students facing financial burdens.
The White House has also reportedly pushed to classify top-level coronavirus meetings, a move that has hampered the government’s response to the outbreak.
Trump himself has created confusion and disseminated false information. During a primetime address on Wednesday, he issued a ban on European travel, but subsequently had to announce several clarifications. He has also frequently contradicted guidance from Fauci and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and downplayed the pandemic’s effects.
The travel ban was an illustration of the ways Trump has treated the coronavirus as a foreign invader rather than a domestic health crisis. He and his allies have used racist and nativist rhetoric to describe the pandemic, and much of his response has focused on closing borders and restricting travel rather than addressing problems within the US health care system.
Trump opened his press conference Friday by praising his response to the pandemic, claiming it was better “when compared to other places around the world,” touting “our closing of the borders” and claiming experts told him his ban on travel from China “saved a lot of lives.”
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-14--Twelve Things You Need To Know About Coronavirus Today

Coronavirus is dominating the headlines as the number of cases grows each day.
According to official figures published on Saturday afternoon, 1,140 people in the UK have now tested positive for the virus – and increase of 342 on Friday’s figures.
The UK’s death toll has more than doubled in the past 24 hours, with an announcement on Saturday that ten more people had died in England bringing the total number of fatalities linked to the pandemic to 21.
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Here are the main developments you need to know today.
A second coronavirus patient has died in Ireland
Ireland's Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar (2R), Northern Ireland's First Minister, Arlene Foster (2L), Northern Ireland Deputy First Michelle O'Neill (L) and Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney (R) gesture at the North South Ministerial Council offices in Armagh, Northern Ireland on March 14, 2020, before a meeting of the Irish Government and Northern Ireland Executive concerning the novel coronavirus Covid-19 outbreak. (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP) (Photo by PAUL FAITH/AFP via Getty Images) PAUL FAITH via Getty Images
A second person who tested positive for Covid-19 has died in the Republic of Ireland, the Department of Health has said.
Some 39 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed on Saturday.
Coronavirus cases soar in Italy
A woman applauds as she stands on her balcony adorned with the Italian flag, at the Garbatella neighborhood, in Rome, Saturday, March 14, 2020. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Italian officials say new coronavirus cases have jumped 20% to more than 21,000.
US Extends Europe Travel Ban To UK And Ireland
President Donald Trump speaks during a briefing on coronavirus in the Brady press briefing room at the White House, Saturday, March 14, 2020, in Washington, as U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, listen. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) ASSOCIATED PRESS
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US Vice President Mike has announced that the country’s coronavirus travel ban on Europe will be extended to the UK and Ireland at midnight EST on Monday (04:00 GMT Tuesday).
He said: “In our taskforce meeting today the president has made a decision to suspend all travel to the UK and Ireland, effective midnight Monday night, eastern standard time.”
Pence said there had been a “unanimous recommendation” from health experts to extend the travel ban.
“Americans in the UK or Ireland can come home, legal residents can come home…they will will be funnelled through specific airports and processed.”
Spain preparing to introduce nationwide lockdown from Monday
A nationwide lockdown is set to be imposed in Spain from Monday. Pablo Cuadra via Getty Images
The Spanish government is imposing a nationwide lockdown from Monday as part of state of emergency measures to combat coronavirus, a draft of an official decree obtained by Reuters showed.
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The government will say all residents must stay home except to buy food, go to the pharmacy, to the hospital, or to work or for other emergencies, the draft showed.
Public transport will be curtailed to carry fewer people but will not be suspended, the draft showed.
The country’s Interior Ministry will control all police forces, including local and regional ones, as part of the 15-day state of emergency. The health and transport ministries will also have nationwide reach, taking over some local or regional powers.
The draft says the lockdown will enter into force on Monday at 8am (7am GMT).
Earlier in the day, authorities in Madrid urged people to stay home, the southern city of Seville announced the cancellation of hugely popular Holy Week celebrations and shops in several regions shut down on Saturday as Spain scrambled to try and fight the coronavirus.
Spain is the second-hardest hit country in Europe after Italy, with 5,753 cases recorded on Saturday, up by a third from Friday even as health authorities in Madrid, which has the highest number of cases, stopped testing people with only mild symptoms.
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Earlier on Saturday Jet2 cancelled all flights to mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands with immediate effect.
The airline is based at nine UK airports.
“This is a fast-moving and complex situation and we are reviewing our programme as a matter of urgency, so that we can fly customers back to the UK,” the airline said in a statement.
According to The Mirror, several flights were turned around in mid-air as the restrictions came into place with immediate effect.
It was announced on Saturday afternoon that the number of confirmed cases in the UK had jumped by 1,500 – taking the total to more than 5,700.
Spain is now the worst affected country in Europe outside of Italy, which has more than 15,000 cases.
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UK planning to ban mass gatherings
Whilst some areas of the city have become noticeably more quiet, London's West End was still busy into Friday evening. Aaron Chown - PA Images via Getty Images
Emergency laws are being drawn up to ban “mass gatherings” in the UK from next week in a shock move to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.
It is a rapid U-turn on the position outlined just 24 hours previously by Boris Johnson and the UK’s two most senior medical and scientific advisers: that there was no need to consider such a move and that people would grow tired of “draconian” measures if they were introduced too early in the fight against Covid-19.
A Whitehall source told the PA news agency on Friday: “Ministers are working with the chief scientific adviser and chief medical officer on our plan to stop various types of public event, including mass gatherings, beginning next week.
“We are also talking to businesses and other bodies about the timing of moving towards much more widespread working from home.
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“There are many complex considerations to make all these measures as effective as possible. We will make the right decisions at the right time based on the best scientific evidence.”
Some 11 people in the UK have so far died of the disease, with 798 confirmed infections on Friday – a jump of more than 200 from Thursday’s figures.
Newborn baby in London believed to be youngest patient in the UK
North Middlesex Hospital, where it is believed a mother and a newborn baby tested positive for Covid-19. Andrew Aitchison via Getty Images
A newborn baby in London is believed to be the youngest person in the UK to have contracted coronavirus.
The Sun reported late on Friday evening that two patients – believed to be a mother and her baby – were being treated after testing positive for the virus.
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The mother is believed to have been taken to North Middlesex Hospital several days ago with suspected pneumonia, and was confirmed to have contracted the virus after giving birth.
Sky News reported a statement from the hospital, confirming that one patient had been transferred to a specialist centre, whilst another was undergoing treatment in an isolation room.
They added: “The safety of our patients and staff is our top priority, so in following guidance from Public Health England, we are regularly deep cleaning the areas where the patients are cared for and staff who were in close contact with these patients were advised to self-isolate.”
WHO questions UK’s ‘herd immunity’ approach
Crowds gather in outside a theatre ahead of a West End performance of Les Miserables. Aaron Chown - PA Images via Getty Images
World Health Organisation spokesperson Margaret Harris questioned the UK’s approach to developing “herd immunity” against Covid-19.
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Dr Harris told BBC Radio 4’s Today: “We don’t know enough about the science of this virus, it hasn’t been in our population for long enough for us to know what it does in immunological terms.
“Every virus functions differently in your body and stimulates a different immunological profile.
“We can talk theories, but at the moment we are really facing a situation where we have got to look at action.”
The UK government is reportedly hoping to reduce the impact of Covid-19 by allowing it to pass through the population so we acquire herd immunity, but at a delayed speed.
“Herd immunity” is what happens when a group of people develop enough antibodies to be resistant to an illness. It’s often used in the context of vaccination. For example, if enough people get the flu jab, it’s harder for the illness to spread to those people who cannot have vaccines, such as those who are ill or have a weakened immune system.
But there is no vaccination for coronavirus, as of yet. In this case, it seems the idea is that people can gain immunity to diseases after being exposed to them, and once enough people are immune – through exposure – it’ll stop circulating. US travel ban comes into force – and UK could soon be included
The US' extended travel ban, affecting visitors from within the Schengen zone, came into affect in the early hours of Saturday morning (GMT). ERIC BARADAT via Getty Images
The US’ extended travel ban came into force in the early hours of Saturday morning (GMT), banning some foreign nationals from entering the country.
Visitors from the 26 countries that make up the EU’s Schengen zone have been barred from arriving into the US. The UK and Ireland are currently exempt from this ban.
However, Trump has said the UK could be added to the list of European countries included in the travel ban, telling reporters during a White House press conference on Friday that the UK exemption had been made after being “recommended to me by a group of professionals” but he said the UK’s rising number of cases could result in a re-think of that decision.
He said: “We are looking at it based on the new numbers that are coming out and we may have to include them in the list of countries that we will, you could say ban or whatever it is, during this period of time, but yeah their numbers have gone up fairly precipitously over the last 24 hours so we may be adding that and we may be adding a couple of others and we may frankly start thinking about taking some off.”
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The full list of banned countries includes: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
It is set to remain in force for 30 days, but could be extended or scaled back depending on how the situation develops in the coming days and weeks.
New Zealand announced world’s tightest border controls – all visitors must self-isolate for 14 days
All visitors to New Zealand must now self isolate for 14 days. Dave Rowland via Getty Images
New Zealand on Saturday announced the world’s tightest border controls to combat the spread of coronavirus, requiring all incoming travellers, including its own citizens, to self-isolate for two weeks starting midnight on Sunday.
New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern said the extreme measures were needed to prevent the rapid spread of the virus.
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“Alongside Israel, and a small number of Pacific Islands who have effectively closed their border, this decision will mean New Zealand will have the widest ranging and toughest border restrictions of any country in the world,” Ardern said.
The country has just six confirmed cases and has had no deaths, but Ardern said that number inevitably would rise.
“That is why ultimately, we must go hard and we must go early. We must do everything we can to protect the health of New Zealanders,” she told reporters.
People from small South Pacific island nations, which have no confirmed Covid-19 cases, will be exempt from the self-isolation rule, Ardern said.
And to protect those nations from the virus, New Zealand would impose strict exit measures, barring anyone who has been overseas from travelling to South Pacific islands for two weeks, and barring anyone who has had symptoms or been in contact with anyone with Covid-19 from travelling there.
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The travel restrictions will be reviewed at the end of the March. Ardern also encouraged all New Zealanders to reconsider all overseas trips.
Apple closes all stores outside China
All Apple stores outside China are shutting to combat the virus. ANDREAS SOLARO via Getty Images
Tech giant Apple announced on Saturday morning that it was closing all its stores outside China.
CEO Tim Cook said: “In our workplaces and communities, we must do all we can to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
“Apple will be temporarily closing all stores outside of Greater China until March 27 and committing $15m (£12.2m) to help with worldwide recovery.”
In our workplaces and communities, we must do all we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Apple will be temporarily closing all stores outside of Greater China until March 27 and committing $15M to help with worldwide recovery. https://t.co/ArdMA43cFJ — Tim Cook (@tim_cook) March 14, 2020
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Ryanair cancels all flights to and from Poland
Ryanair has cancelled all flights to and from Poland. umenie via Getty Images
All Ryanair Group flights – including Buzz and Lauda – to and from Poland have been cancelled from midnight on Saturday to midnight on March 31.
A spokesman said this was “in response to the decision of the Polish government to ‘lock down’ the entire country to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus”.
He said: “We are contacting all affected customers by email to advise them of their options and we urge customers not to call us. This is a fast-moving and complex situation and the safety and well-being of our people and customers is our main priority. We will continue to comply fully with all WHO and EASA guidelines and we will follow any travel restrictions that are imposed.
“Ryanair Group Airlines apologise sincerely to all customers affected by these government restrictions in order to combat the Covid-19 virus.”
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Italians burst into song amid coronavirus shutdown
With the entire country in shutdown amid a huge outbreak of the Covid-19, Italians in some parts of the country have taken to singing from their balconies as a way to tackle their isolation.
From Sicily to Salerno, Twitter users have shared emotional videos of dozens of people gathering at their windows to sing together, and in some cases play instruments, as they remain quarantined inside.
Italy has become the worst-affected country outside China, with more than 15,000 confirmed cases. The death toll in the country surpassed 1,000 on Friday.
Italians in lockdown all over Italy are keeping each other company by singing, dancing and playing music from the balconies. A thread to celebrate the resilience of ordinary people. This is Salerno: pic.twitter.com/3aOchqdEpn — Leonardo Carella (@leonardocarella) March 13, 2020
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-03-15--Downing Street's 'Drip Feed' Of News On Coronavirus Crisis Branded 'Dangerous' Strategy

Health secretary Matt Hancock at the Cabinet Office PA
Boris Johnson has been told get a grip of Downing Street’s coronavirus communications strategy after a “drip feed” of press briefings over the crisis sparked confusion.
ITV published a report on Saturday, citing a ‘senior government source’, saying the over-70s would be asked to self-isolate for as long as four months to protect themselves from the disease.
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But the significant new measure was not officially confirmed until Sunday, when health secretary Matt Hancock officially admitted in a Sky News interview that ministers would “soon” ask elderly people to stay at home.
It came amid a flurry of newspaper reports, many quoting unnamed Number 10 sources, outlining different measures the government has planned – some of which not seen “since war time” – including the army guarding hospitals.
Hancock has also been personally criticised for placing a comment piece in the Daily Telegraph, which initially appeared behind a paywall and revealed the government would ask manufacturers to switch production to build ventilators to treat the sick.
In a series of tweets on Saturday morning, opposition MPs and public figures told ministers the “drip feed” approach of making “unaccountable anonymous briefings” to journalists was “dangerous” and risked undermining public trust in the government’s approach in a series of tweets on Saturday morning.
Giving public health information out in exclusives to newspapers behind paywalls or in annoymous briefing to journalists is not the way to do this. — John Cryer (@JohnCryerMP) March 15, 2020
After a confusing 48 hours Health Secretary @MattHancock attempts to reassure the country that the government “has a plan to protect life & to protect the NHS.” He’s not helped by the fact key announcements are being made in unaccountable anonymous briefings to journalists #marr — Nick Robinson (@bbcnickrobinson) March 15, 2020
With respect to Robert who is doing his job (well!), this kind of briefing just isn’t acceptable @BorisJohnson @MattHancock. There need to be daily televised briefings from the CMO and CSA or their deputies with clear and understandable instructions backed up by evidence. (1/x) https://t.co/xfchLouPpR — Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) March 15, 2020
Many of us are having to think through the consequences of covid-19 for people that we love and care for. It is bad enough having difficult conversations with family members who are at risk, without having to do so based on briefing and speculation (2/x). — Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) March 15, 2020
The handling of communications at a time of national crisis is critical. Backdoor briefings and placed pieces in a single newspaper isn’t the way to build trust and confidence
I think so far @MattHancock has done well, but we need absolute clarity and openness https://t.co/DQtkcB432j — Jim McMahon (@JimfromOldham) March 15, 2020
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And dangerous - what on earth are they thinking? https://t.co/eVh5pzC6g0 — Angela Eagle (@angelaeagle) March 15, 2020
Whoever is behind the selective No.10 briefings needs to undergo an immediate period of enforced self-isolation before they end up getting a lot of people killed. — (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) March 15, 2020
Keir Starmer, the frontrunner to be the next Labour leader, called for an end to anonymous press briefings by Number 10 and called for daily press conferences on the crisis from ministers.
He said: “I am deeply concerned that over the past 48 hours ministers have been failing in their responsibilities to provide consistent and transparent public health advice.
“To allow anonymous and speculative briefings to journalists about a significant step-change in the government’s response to the outbreak is irresponsible.
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“At a time of national crisis, we need a government that is offering openness and transparency, not confusion and uncertainty.”
The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed on Saturday that the number of deaths in the UK had doubled, taking the total to 21, while the number of cases hit 1,140 - an increase of 342 from Friday’s figure of 798.
It comes amid clamour from the public for information over how best to shield their loved ones from the potentially-fatal virus.
Some supermarket shelves have been emptied over the last 24 hours as people scramble to stock up on supplies of essentials such as toilet toll.
Hancock insisted the government was doing all it could to protect life.
He told the Andrew Marr Show the UK had not ruled out following other countries and closing restaurants, bars and other shops to prevent the spread, and added a “massive community response” was needed to tackle Covid-19.
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