thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--I'm A Therapist, And I'm Struggling With The Covid-19 Pandemic Too

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As a therapist, I’ve worked with so many clients over the course of my 20-year career who are terrified to go into public places because they fear they will pass out from the anxiety. I never really understood it, until now.
Since the pandemic started, I’ve found myself anxious and having trouble breathing out in public. I’ve been having a hard time with Covid-19, but I’ve often felt like I have to pretend I’m not struggling. Everyone in my family looks to me as the therapist, the health care worker, the mom and the one who has the answers. I wasn’t prepared for how a pandemic would affect my work as a licensed therapist. Now I’m in a battle with myself to actually see my clients on some days.
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In March, when this was beginning, I joined a presentation series on Covid-19 for providers to keep abreast of developments and information. I also had my own practice, which I’d built from the ground up over the past 12 years. This particular meeting was designed to prepare mental health and other health care workers on what to expect. The speaker was forecasting that the crisis would extend to 2021, and I felt my heart sink. The expectation was that we were going to rise to the occasion, find a way and lead the troops.
My experience as a therapist in the past few months has been a mixture of emotions. I lost a large part of my own practice, and I made the decision to give up my lease so that I didn’t lose my entire livelihood. After speaking to many of my clients who are furloughed or laid off, some decided to wait until they were back on their feet before coming back to counselling. It’s understandable but a Catch-22 nevertheless, since these are likely the people who need counselling the most right now.
“Everyone seems to be avoiding their negative emotions and subscribing to the toxic positivity narrative in society right now.”
Many of my clients have been navigating job loss for the first time, including the unemployment system, independent insurance and business loans. Giving up my lease felt like a small sacrifice compared with what others were coping with. My shift to telehealth was easy, and I was relieved to have a nice group of clients who continued to reach out for appointments. I counted my blessings and moved into the new world of Covid-19 with a sense of optimism.
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I had the privilege to be optimistic. After all, my private practice is not my full-time job. It’s supplemental income to my full-time job at a high school where I counsel and work with new students ― a job I’ve been able to maintain through this pandemic. If it had been my full-time work, I would have been economically destroyed. I realise how privileged this position is to be in. Many of my colleagues are struggling badly with little economic help and the cut of client co-pays from some insurance plans.
The need for mental health care is extraordinary right now. I’ve been noticing that many of my clients are struggling with the ample time they have alone with their thoughts. Everyone seems to be avoiding their negative emotions and subscribing to the toxic positivity narrative in society right now. This can make people feel like failures if they are not being productive, but I want to remind people that it’s an important time to address our emotions. Learning about our feelings, being able to identify them, name them and gently understand them, can help us gain a deeper sense of ourselves and the sources of our anxiety.
“Our society is always on the go, and for the first time in a long time, we are alone with our thoughts and some pretty difficult memories.”
It’s okay to feel afraid. My work with clients now is grief and trauma-informed cognitive behavioural therapy. I help clients understand how chronic stress can affect their brain and the importance of processing trauma versus encapsulating it. I also help clients learn about their own stress response, which goes hand in hand with social-emotional learning. There’s a lot to grieve, and there continues to be a lot of loss. Many people have been experiencing significant losses their whole life, never really processing it until they feel forced to right now. Our society is always on the go, and for the first time in a long time, we are alone with our thoughts and some pretty difficult memories.
And honestly, these things affect me, too. I’m a therapist, but I’m not immune to the effects of what’s happening in the world right now. I show up for work because I need to, but sometimes I feel like I’m on autopilot. I put my faith in the fact that if I just show up everything else will figure itself out. I rely on my brain’s muscle memory and that later I’ll have time to work on my own feelings about all of this. Now for me as a therapist is to focus on what needs to get done. Meet clients, listen, assess and get through one day at a time.
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Mental health workers are an afterthought in our society, even though they are the last responders of this pandemic. Everyone knows a tsunami of mental health needs will happen but no one really thinks about how that will get handled. Mental health workers are already overworked and underpaid, and I know many who have left the field prematurely because of the burnout.
“Mental health workers are an afterthought in our society, even though they are the last responders of this pandemic.”
Because of this, I’m very mindful of my own need for process. I cry, pray and constantly reach out to friends and family. I hug my dogs a lot. I create a routine and stability for my children. Predictability creates comfort, and I try to create this in my home as much as possible.
We need a way to transform this pandemic to bring hope and, most of all, endurance. I didn’t want to feel like Ursula working her magic on poor unfortunate souls. This isn’t a Disney movie with a happy ending. People are dying, many will suffer from issues (or love someone who suffers) related to the coronavirus, and when we finally do come out of quarantine, there will be a slew of struggles in the aftermath of the trauma. We’re all doing the best we can, therapists included.
I’m going to continue to be honest with my clients. No one is a blank slate right now, and all of us are experiencing the same thing to some degree for the first time. When distress and disorder arise, I’m going to acknowledge it, not reframe it or push it away, but rather I will listen and validate what my clients are experiencing in their own lives. What we’re going through right now is a major disruption to our social fabric. I am not an expert in this, but I am willing to build trust and empathise.
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I encourage everyone to build up on well-being and resilience for the challenges ahead this year, and to explore the unhealthy ways you may be coping during the quarantine. I know therapy isn’t always a priority for everyone, but Open Path Collective, Better Help, TalkSpace and the Crisis Text Line (not just for those in crisis) are great resources if you’re looking to start.
This article first appeared on HuffPost Personal


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--Why Matt Hancock’s Test And Trace Plan May Come Down To Money, Not Tech

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Baroness Dido Harding and Matt Hancock. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The Great British cake off
Covid-19? There’s an app for that! Except there isn’t. Despite Matt Hancock’s puppyish enthusiasm for launching an NHS test and trace phone app by the middle of May, today even he seemed to give up the ghost. Asked when it would appear, he said “we’ll bring it in when it’s right to do so”. No timeframe, no target, no hailing the marvels of tech.
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Earlier, NHS Test and Trace chief Dido Harding was just as vague, saying only that the app would appear “in time”. She told us hacks that it wasn’t really central to the wider system of online, phone and in person contact tracing. The app was “the cherry on the cake. not the cake itself”. “And what you’re seeing today is the baking of the cake is going reasonably well.”
But is this vital government policy half-baked, or at least two-thirds cooked? The new statistics for its first week of operation showed that only 67% of those who tested positive for coronavirus gave details of their ‘close contacts’ who could also have the virus. The numbers were better for those contacts who were then reached by NHS staff (85%) and told to self-isolate for 14 days.
Harding repeatedly admitted that the system was far from perfect. “We’ve got a lot more to do to improve the speed of the entire service,” she said. “We’re not at the gold standard yet” of isolating all contacts within 48 hours of someone requesting a test. The message was that the system was iterative, a work in progress, but a worthy start.
Despite his app appearing stranded on the Isle of Wight, Hancock was, characteristically, much more upbeat. “I think you’ll see from these figures why we are confident that it will be world class,” he trilled.
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That confidence wasn’t shared by some (including Independent Sage, who said the presentation was ‘deeply misleading’), and even the health secretary’s language seemed a significant notch down from Boris Johnson’s own boasts last month. ‘World class’ is not the same as ‘world beating’, as promised by the PM some 22 days ago.
Hancock was undeterred by sceptics of the move out of lockdown, declaring “we are working through the plan and the plan is working” in getting the Covid numbers down low enough to make changes to people’s daily lives. Yet he did appear to resurrect a direct linkage between the NHS Test and Trace system and government ‘easements’. “The more successful the test and trace scheme is, the more we’ll safely be able to relieve other lockdown measures,” he said.
That informal conditionality was perhaps why there was a sternness in his tone. Asked if the scheme could be made mandatory, he said “we’re not ruling it out”. There was a hint of a threat that unless individuals observe the 2m social distancing at work they would be tracked down. Hancock also had what sounded like a warning not a plea: “I would go so far as to say that participation with NHS Test and Trace is your civic duty.” This felt like the old “this is not a request, it is an instruction” version of Hancock last seen in early lockdown.
But civic duty cuts both ways. The citizen may agree to some sacrifice as long as they don’t personally lose out. Remember that phrase, uttered by the PM and Rishi Sunak, that “no one will penalised for doing the right thing” in this pandemic? Well, when member of the public Andy asked what extra support there would be for those who self-isolate under test-and-trace, Hancock failed to promise an extra penny.
Remember that statutory sick pay at the moment is still £95 a week, compared to the real living wage of £325 a week. Why not create a new test-and-trace sick pay rate to provide an incentive for those who do the right thing? It would cover tens of thousands of people at most, not millions, so the cost need not be huge.
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Being told to stay at home for two weeks is fine if you are in a well paid office job you can do at home. But for those who have no choice but to travel in to work, it can be a big hit to their income. And remember, you could be ordered multiple times to quarantine if you are named as a contact. If the government’s response to these workers is ‘let them eat cake’, ministers shouldn’t be surprised if the system starts to break down.
Quote Of The Day
“I abhor this divisive identity politics that’s being levelled at Priti Patel.”
Matt Hancock attacks black and minority ethnic Labour MPs for accusing Patel of gaslighting them
Thursday Cheat Sheet
In the first week of the NHS Test and Trace programme, 5,407 (67%) of more than 8,000 people who tested positive for Covid-19 responded by giving up their close contacts. They provided further 31,000 contacts and nearly 27,000 of them (85%) agreed to self-isolate.
No.10 made clear that there were no plans to reimpose a nationwide school closure programme should there be a ‘second wave’ of the virus in the autumn or winter. Any flare ups will only be dealt with locally.
After a series of HuffPost articles on complaints of alleged anti-black racism within Labour, Keir Starmer unveiled plans for an expanded minority ethnic leadership programme, an audit into the diversity of party staff and training in unconscious bias.
300 tower blocks are still covered in the flammable material similar to that on Grenfell Tower, three years after the disaster, the government revealed. A pledge to remove all the cladding by this month was missed.
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Chris Grayling’s failed privatisation of the probation service was finally killed off when justice secretary Robert Buckland confirmed it would be brought back under state control.
Labour claimed planning decisions were “auctioned off” by the Conservatives in the controversy over ex-media tycoon Richard Desmond’s links to housing secretary Robert Jenrick. A junior minister was sent to answer claims in the Commons on his behalf.
Under-30s have been hardest hit by a fall in their income during lockdown as more of their money (58%) goes on essentials like food and housing than older people (43%), new ONS data showed.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--Exclusive: Global Media Staff Demanded ‘Racist’ Nigel Farage’s Removal From LBC

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Some staff members at radio company Global Media called for Nigel Farage to be sacked from his LBC show for his inflammatory remarks about Black anti-racism campaigners, HuffPost UK can reveal.
The privately-owned firm – which has a stable of radio stations including Capital Radio, Heart and Smooth – has also come under fire for what is claimed to be its lack of diversity, despite Capital Xtra being the UK’s biggest Black music station.
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Following an appearance on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, Farage compared Black Lives Matter to the Taliban while criticising the toppling of statues of slave owners, prompting accusations of “inciting” bigotry.
Farage stepped down from his LBC radio show on Thursday, LBC announced on Twitter.
“Nigel Farage’s contract with LBC is up very shortly and, following discussions with him, Nigel is stepping down from LBC with immediate effect,” the statement read.
“We thank Nigel for the enormous contribution he has made to LBC and wish him well.”
A Black staffer at Global, who asked to remain anonymous, had previously told HuffPost UK that “many Global staff members want Farage out”.
The staffer said: “The man is vile and racist. I’m upset he’s working on a station across the corridor from the UK’s biggest Black music station and he’s allowed to say those comments on air.”
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HuffPost UK put this concern to Global, among other allegations, on Tuesday but a spokesperson declined to comment at that time specifically about Farage.
Responding to news of the right-winger’s departure, a Global source told HuffPost UK: “I’ve been working at Global for more than two years now and still can’t believe why they brought Nigel Farage on the line up for LBC.”
“I’m very happy to see he has stepped down, I believe Nick Ferrari should do the exact same thing too. I also hope they start hiring more presenters of colour and I hope someone of colour will fill his spot,” the source added.
News of Farage’s departure has reignited calls for presenter Nick Ferrari to be sacked from LBC.
A clip of a panel discussion on The Pledge from two years ago resurfaced this week, in which LBC radio host Nick Ferrari asked journalist Afua Hirsch why she chooses to remain in Britain if she has an issue with slavery monuments.
The pair both regularly feature on the programme to debate topical news items.
In a former life, when I thought you cd politely persuade people not to be racist
Their response? "If you don't like it here, LEAVE". Which I'm yet to hear said to a white British person
Racism is telling black people who have a critique of their own country, they should leave pic.twitter.com/Dhx4G0yloP — Afua Hirsch (@afuahirsch) June 9, 2020
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“Why do you stay in this country?” the controversial presenter asked Hirsch, a Black woman.
“If you take such offence when you see Nelson’s column, if you take such offence when you hear Winston Churchill’s name [...] if it offends you so much, how do you manage to stay here?”
This sparked swift backlash with critics likening Ferrari’s comments to the racist dogwhistle imperative “go back to where you came from”.
A post about this exchange was shared on the company’s internal work discussion forum for BAME staff members.
“Would love to hear Global’s thoughts on this from one of the company’s flagship presenters asking a fellow journalist, “why do you stay in this country?,” the user wrote.
An LBC spokesperson said: “This television programme, which was broadcast 2 years ago, was not produced by LBC or broadcast on any of our platforms. That said, the true context of the programme in question actually sparked a constructive, well-spirited discussion which was fully debated at the time.
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“Any regular listener to Nick will have heard him stand up for everyone regardless of race, gender, sexuality or anything else. This is simply not a fair or true characterisation of Nick.”
The day before, a source told us that messages of disgruntlement around Farage’s employment by LBC were shared in the same internal forum including a post, seen by HuffPost UK, which contained an article condemning the former Ukip leader.
TV and radio host Will Njobvu, who presents a show on Capital Xtra, tweeted on Monday: “Nigel Farage has compared Black Lives Matter protestors to the Taliban and I feel absolutely sick.”
Nigel Farage has compared Black Lives Matter protestors to the Taliban and I feel absolutely sick. https://t.co/DsYfIyc0ft — Will Njobvu (@William_Njo) June 8, 2020
Njobvu also stated: “This man is trying to bring down the Black Lives Matter movement. He will NOT succeed.”
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Prior to Farage’s departure, another Global source added: “Presenters are absolutely livid because by keeping Farage on-air, the organisation shows that they don’t actually think Black lives matter.
“If they think Black lives really did matter they wouldn’t hire someone with his views. The same way you wouldn’t hire a domestic abuser or a dangerous criminal, you shouldn’t hire a racist.”
The sentiment was echoed by another source who told HuffPost UK: “Pretty much every Black person here is upset that Farage continues to have a platform – yet Global says it’s committed to equality. This says a lot.”
The company has been criticised as lacking diversity, with one source branding the lack of Black staff members across platforms as “appalling”.
A company spokesperson said: “Over the last 12 months, representation for ethnic minorities has increased from 8% to 13%. The Global Academy at which 39% of the students are from a BAME background, recently enabled 15 apprentices to start full-time apprenticeships at Global.
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“We have also committed our signature to an open letter, coordinated by Creative Equals, a body dedicated to promoting diversity in the workplace.”
HuffPost UK asked Global for a breakdown of how many staff members are Black but was refused the information; a spokesperson explained that they “wouldn’t give out that data”.
Daddy Ernie
A former presenter said this is a historic problem within the organisation.
“There was a culture of anti-Black racism within the organisation long before then. Black lives didn’t matter to them then and [don’t] appear to matter now,” said broadcaster Daddy Ernie – real name Ernie Harriott – who presented Choice FM’s flagship Superjam reggae show.
Established in 1990 and acquired by Global in 2005, Choice FM was the UK’s first legal Black radio platform. It was rebranded without warning to Capital Xtra, billed as an “urban dance” platform in 2013 during Black History Month. All specialist shows – such as gospel and soca – were scrapped, never to be reinstated.
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The revered station’s legacy has faded with many deeming this move from Global as a direct affront to the Black community and an attempt at erasing an important part of Black culture from the mainstream.
HuffPost UK put these claims to Global but it was not addressed.
“Through what they did to Choice, with no warning and homage since then, Global erased an important part of Black British history. This speaks volumes,” Harriott said.
Farage’s three-year appointment under the Global banner came as no surprise to Harriott who prior to Farage’s departure said: “You have to question the ethos of any employer willing to give Farage a platform to spill his bile when he’s ready.
“It’s a disgrace that he was appointed to LBC in the first place and, given his recent comments about Black Lives Matter, allowed to stay on.”
It also emerged this week that Capital Xtra breakfast show hosts Yinka Bokinni and Shayna Marie Birch-Campbell said they were “embarrassed” by statements on race issued by Global in response to the recent protests.
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The pair penned a joint statement in the internal discussion group, The Guardian reported on Monday.
The statement read: “As two Black women who front the breakfast show on the biggest Black music station in the UK we were honestly embarrassed by the response from Capital Xtra, especially the seemingly ‘copy and paste’ job in terms of the statement released.”
Yinka Bokinni and Shayna Marie Birch-Campbell Joe Maher via Getty Images
“It’s upsetting to receive messages from Black people who work in the company who are scared of coming forward and at first we weren’t even sure if this was a forum for presenters to share their opinions, but honestly we don’t know what else to do,” their statement continued.
A Global spokesperson said: “At Global, we have a proud culture of open conversation. We have specifically put in place an internal platform where all Globallers are free to participate and comment. Every Global employee is now a member of the BAME group on our internal platform and the conversation was not, and is not, limited for anyone.
“We have also taken several steps in recent days, including the formation of a BAME committee, with an appointed independent expert to advise us, in order that faster progress can be made and on Monday night, our radio brands held one minute’s silence so that those suffering, or who have suffered, could be recognised with respect and dignity. All of our outdoor digital displays concurrently carried appropriate messaging for the same duration.”
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“All this said, we recognise there is still a lot of work to do,” the spokesperson added.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--Reverend Jide Macaulay: The UK Is Not Devoid Of Racism

Reverend Jide Macaulay: The UK Is Not Devoid Of Racism
Reverend Jide Macaulay talks about the right to protest but the importance of not harming one another as people around the world take to the streets. Black Lives Matter demonstrations have erupted globally in the wake of George Floyd’s death, a black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck. Macaulay, who is a theologian, HIV+ Activist and founded House Of Rainbow, stressed that lasting change also needs politicians to pay attention.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--NHS Test And Trace Could Be Mandatory If People Refuse 'Civic Duty'

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The government could make the NHS Test and Trace system mandatory if people with coronavirus symptoms refuse to co-operate, the health secretary has warned.
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Speaking at the Downing Street briefing on Thursday, Matt Hancock said he would not rule out enforcing the programme, which helps the government track and control the spread of the virus as the UK moves out of lockdown.
It came after new figures for NHS Test and Trace, which was set up on June 1, revealed some 33% (2,710) of people who tested positive for Covid-19 failed to provide information on who they had been in contact with.
Dido Harding, the head of the programme, has admitted Test and Trace is not yet the “gold standard” but Hancock said members of the public should view taking part as their “civic duty”.
When asked whether enforcement such as fines would be necessary, he added: “We’re not ruling it out but I don’t think we need it at the moment.
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“What we’ve got to do it keep seeing those numbers going up, the numbers of people in the system and the proportion that we get to, because we think that is the best way forward.”
He also said firms could “mitigate” against the risk that large numbers of employees could be required to self-isolate by ensuring workplaces were safe.
“By being Covid-secure at work, that helps to ensure that fewer people will have to self-isolate if one of the team tests positive,” he told the No 10 briefing.
Dido Harding during a media briefing in Downing Street, London, on coronavirus (COVID-19). PA
Amid much criticism that NHS Test and Trace had been rushed into operation and was still flawed, Harding, who appeared alongside Hancock, defended the system as “fit for purpose”.
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She added that the “vast majority” of people were complying with instructions.
She added: “Making sure that we bring as many people as possible who have got coronavirus into the Test and Trace programme is the number one thing we need to improve over the coming weeks.”
Some 8,117 people who tested positive for Covid-19 in England had their case transferred to the NHS system, of whom 5,407 (67%) were reached, while 2,710 were not.
Overall, 31,794 contacts were identified and, of these, 26,985 were reached and advised to self-isolate – 85% of the total number of contacts.
Of the remaining 15% (4,809), some were not reached, others said they were already taking action independently of the system and some simply refused to comply. People are contacted 10 times in a 24-hour period.
Harding went on to tell the Downing Street briefing: “Given that it is still early days this is really encouraging, it means that the vast majority of people are responding positively and willingly, sharing information and self-isolating when needed.
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“Our first week of data shows this partnership (between the public and the NHS) has got off to a good start but together we know there are further improvements we can make to the system.”
Labour’s shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth had called on Hancock to explain why the service failed to contact 33% of people who had tested positive – and what measures were in place should this trend continue.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--Labour MPs Who Accused Priti Patel Of Gaslighting Black People Are 'Divisive', Matt Hancock Says

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Matt Hancock has criticised “divisive” Labour MPs who accused Priti Patel of using her own experiences of racism “to gaslight the very real racism faced by Black people”.
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The health secretary insisted there is no such thing as “the wrong type” of Black and minority ethnic (BAME) person as he defended “the most diverse government in history”.
Hancock even named a string of Asian, Middle Eastern and Black ministers as he defended Patel for speaking out about her experience of racism.
It follows an exchange between the home secretary and Labour’s Florence Eshalomi about the Black Lives Matter movement, in which Patel said she would not take lectures from the opposition “when it comes to racism, sexism, tolerance for social justice”.
Patel told parliament how she was “frequently called a Paki in the playground” as a child and had been racially abused in the streets.
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But in a letter, a group of more than 30 Labour MPs led by Naz Shah told Patel: “Being a person of colour does not automatically make you an authority on all forms of racism.”
Sad to have just received this letter.
I will not be silenced by @UKLabour MPs who continue to dismiss the contributions of those who don't conform to their view of how ethnic minorities should behave. pic.twitter.com/gBhLvtKKwt — Priti Patel (@pritipatel) June 11, 2020
They wrote: “Our shared experiences allow us to feel the pain that communities feel, when they face racism, they allow us to show solidarity towards a common cause; they do not allow us to define, silence or impede on the feelings that other minority groups may face.”
Responding to the criticism, Hancock told the daily Downing Street briefing: “Of course Priti Patel was not wrong to talk of her personal experiences of racism.
“I’ve seen this letter and I abhor this divisive identity politics that’s being levelled at Priti Patel.
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“I’m incredibly proud of being part of the most diverse government in history.
“I’m very proud to be part of that with Priti and Rishi and Alok and Nadhim and Kemi and Ranil and James and Suella and all the rest.
“And we don’t think that there’s such a thing as the wrong type of BME, we think that people are equal and that’s what we need to see as a society – everybody seeing others as equal.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--BBC Received Almost 24,000 Complaints Over Emily Maitlis' Dominic Cummings Speech

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The BBC received almost 24,000 complaints over an episode of Newsnight which centred around the Dominic Cummings lockdown row.
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Emily said at the time: “Dominic Cummings broke the rules. The country can see that, and it’s shocked the government cannot.
“The longer ministers and the prime minister tell us that we worked within them, the more angry the response to this scandal is likely to be.”
She continued: “He was the man, remember, who always got the public mood, who tagged the lazy label of ‘elite’ on those who disagreed. He should understand that public mood one now: one of fury, contempt and anguish.
“He made those who struggled to keep to the rules feel like fools, and has allowed many more to assume they can now flout them.”
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Emily Maitlis on the set of Newsnight last month BBC
However, while the speech received its share of praise on social media, it wasn’t without its controversies.
The following day, the BBC ruled that Emily’s comments breached their impartiality guidelines, with staff being sent a “reminder” about the broadcaster’s stance on neutrality.
It’s now been revealed that the corporation received a total of 23,674 complaints about the episode in question, from viewers who felt that Emily Maitlis showed “bias against Dominic Cummings and/or the government”.
The corporation added that the complaints came “after invitations to complain were posted online”.
Amid the controversy over her opening speech, Emily asked for “the night off” from Newsnight, with Katie Razzall taking her place on the episode that followed.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--Layla Moran Admits Jar Jar Binks Tweet 'Mistake', And Calls For Lib Dem BAME Targets

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Liberal Democrat leadership candidate Layla Moran has admitted she made a “mistake” when she mimicked an allegedly racist Star Wars character on Twitter.
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The MP told HuffPost UK’s Commons People podcast she was “mortified” when Lib Dem supporters pointed out that Jar Jar Binks, the much-derided character from the Star Wars prequels, had “racist overtones”.
The character has faced criticism as an example of minstrelsy and a parody of Caribbean and west African patois, and Moran was forced to delete a 1am tweet in which she mimicked his speech in reply to former leader Tim Farron.
In response to the Black Lives Matter protests, Moran also admitted her party was too white and middle class and called for targets at local party level for Black and ethnic minority (BAME) representation.
Asked about the Jar Jar Binks tweet, Moran told HuffPost UK’s Commons People podcast: “I was absolutely mortified, I had not made the connection between Jar Jar Binks and the racist overtones frankly of that character.
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“I tweeted in response to something Tim Farron had said and I think it was about 1am so there’s probably a don’t tweet at 1am message to be learned here.
“But as soon as members told me there was that connotation I took it down, I contacted them, I apologised to them, it was a mistake and I was absolutely mortified that I’d done that inadvertently.”
DT Layla Moran 🔶: Tim Farron Meesa surely Jar Jar Binks wish yess. Weesa say nosa https://t.co/EiSMKA6zpY — Tweets MPs Delete (@deletedbyMPs) June 9, 2020
Jar Jar Binks Lucasfilm
Moran said the episode showed that it was right to reassess films, TV shows and culture from the past as society gets more progressive.
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“I remember at the time people going I don’t like him as a character - I didn’t realise then the connotations between Black history that he was representing,” Moran said.
“And it made me think: would a character like this be created now? Obviously I hope not.
“Little Britain was taken down this week, we saw that too.
“It’s right that as society gets more progressive and as society gets more enlightened that we take account of that.
“I will not be tweeting or saying anything about Jar Jar Binks again.”
Moran also admitted that the Lib Dems have “failed” so far on diversity as she called for local targets for BAME representation.
Lib Dem leadership candidate Layla Moran NurPhoto via Getty Images
“We join clubs where people in the clubs already look like you,” Moran said.
“And we are, many political parties are, but we are as well - well educated, white, middle class, male, a bit older - that’s the classic look of the party.
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“We need to attract people to our party by reaching out to them.
“I think we need to stop being so complacent about it.
“And the reason I think it’s quite hard in the Lib Dems to make the case for this - although Black Lives Matter has really helped - is that we are a party that naturally believes in equality, it is one of the central tenets of liberalism, it’s something we are really proud of.
“And so for people to then say we are not doing good enough in this area doesn’t work in our own psyche.”
Moran did not back Liverpool university’s decision to rename a building named after former prime minister William Gladstone due to his links to the slave trade, insisting the Liberal government he headed was “very progressive”.
But she urged the government to issue guidance to local authorities to help them initiate reviews of monuments to historical figures, after Bristol protesters tore down a statue to slave trader Edward Colston after years of attempting to get it removed by the council.
“All political parties have this as part of their history,” Moran said.
“Gladstone himself wasn’t a slaver, it was his father.
“The Liberals under Gladstone were actually very progressive for their time.
“But I think the issue more generally around should we as a country be confronting this? Absolutely.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--Government Misses Deadline To Remove All Grenfell-Style Cladding

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The government has failed to meet a target to remove dangerous cladding from all tower blocks by this month – as thousands remain exposed to the material blamed for the rapid spread of the Grenfell fire.
Official figures published on Thursday show that 300 high-rise residential and publicly-owned buildings with the same aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding that was wrapped around the west London block are still to be fully remediated. Last year, the government said that all flammable ACM cladding would be removed by June 2020.
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But the figure only scratches the surface. It is estimated around 1,700 more buildings have some other form of dangerous cladding, such as timber or high pressure laminate.
The Labour Party said the glacial pace of removal and remediation “shames ministers” and the Fire Brigades Union labelled the latest update “an utter disgrace”. It comes just three days before the third anniversary of the Grenfell disaster, which caused 72 deaths.
“I have had months of anxious and broken sleep, felt deep regret at having bought this place and have suicidal thoughts at least twice a week. I feel like I have been robbed.” - Anonymous person living in cladding-covered building
The government has committed £1.6bn to carry out work on all affected buildings because of the stalemate between the state, building owners and developers over who should pay for remediation. But the long delays are causing misery for people living in tens of thousands of homes affected by the scandal.
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Last month, HuffPost UK reported that the government cash does not cover the temporary fire safety measures those in dangerous buildings have been forced to implement just to stay in their homes.
The most common measure is 24-hour fire wardens, or round-the-clock waking watches. Freedom of Information requests showed at least 380 blocks of flats have watches in place, costing some people as much as £840 a month. HuffPost UK also revealed how thousands are facing “astronomical” hikes to insurance premiums.
On Thursday, a survey carried out by the campaigning UK Cladding Action Group (UKCAG) revealed dozens of leaseholders living in buildings with dangerous cladding have contemplated suicide.
The survey, based on the responses of 550 residents across 143 private buildings, indicated cladding issues have “hugely affected” the mental health of nearly eight in 10 respondents.
Some 14.5% reported suicidal feelings while 8% said they had felt a desire to self-harm.
More than a quarter (26.9%) said they had received a new diagnosis of depression or anxiety, while 46% have sought or are planning to seek medical help with mental health issues, it added.
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Nearly one-third said they had turned to alcohol to help cope with stress.
One anonymous respondent said: “I have had months of anxious and broken sleep, felt deep regret at having bought this place and have suicidal thoughts at least twice a week. I feel like I have been robbed.”
The survey of residents, covering blocks across 46 local authority areas in England, Wales and Scotland, also found one in 10 leaseholders had taken out a loan from a bank or family members to cover costs, and more than a quarter said they cannot start a family because of money issues.
UKCAG member William Martin, who lives in an affected building in Sheffield, said: “Respondents speak of their thoughts of suicide, of their constant insomnia and of their personal battles with mental health.
“Each life is on hold, and given the sheer number of unsafe buildings and current pace of remediation, this ‘hidden’ mental health crisis is only set to get worse.
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“Covid-19 has delayed remediation works further, has seen residents being asked to stay home in unsafe buildings and at time of financial difficulty for all has seen leaseholders continue to receive demands for extortionate sums of money to fix a problem they did not create.”
Leaseholders want government funds to cover all cladding removal and safety remediation work on buildings, regardless of height or speed of application to the fund.
Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said: “The government have tried to spin their way out of dealing with this crisis, but their record speaks for itself.
“The glacial pace of cladding removal continues, and the government still has no idea how many homes are at risk from other flammable materials.
“We cannot see another year of this atrocious inaction.”
Mike Amesbury, Labour’s shadow housing minister, said: “Today should have marked the end of a three-year nightmare for residents across the country.
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“Instead, they will go to sleep tonight in unsafe buildings due to government inaction.
“Ministers should now live up to the promises made last year, and take enforcement action against building owners who are failing to do this work.”
In July 2019, then-housing secretary James Brokenshire set a deadline of June 2020 for all tower blocks covered in Grenfell-style cladding to have it removed and replaced. He warned building owners to “expect enforcement action” if action wasn’t taken.
A Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “Residents’ safety remains our priority. We are bringing forward the biggest change in building safety in a generation backed by our unprecedented £1.6bn fund to ensure unsafe cladding is removed swiftly from high-rise buildings.
“We are clear that in order to ensure the safety of residents during the coronavirus pandemic, work to remove these unsafe materials must continue where it can be done safely.
“We continue to see progress, with remediation complete or ACM cladding removed on 46% of buildings identified as unlikely to meet building regulations however, it is clear there is much more still to be done.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--BAME Labour MPs Accuse Priti Patel Of 'Gaslighting' In Racism Debate

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A group of BAME Labour MPs have accused Priti Patel of using her own experiences of racism “to gaslight the very real racism faced by Black people”.
It follows an exchange between the home secretary and Labour’s Florence Eshalomi about the Black Lives Matter movement, in which Patel said she would not take lectures from the opposition “when it comes to racism, sexism, tolerance for social justice”.
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Patel told parliament how she was “frequently called a Paki in the playground” as a child and had been racially abused in the streets.
Labour MP Florence Eshalomi London Portrait Photoqrapher-DAVID WOOLFALL
But in a letter, a group of more than 30 Labour MPs led by Naz Shah told Patel: “Being a person of colour does not automatically make you an authority on all forms of racism.”
They wrote: “Our shared experiences allow us to feel the pain that communities feel, when they face racism, they allow us to show solidarity towards a common cause; they do not allow us to define, silence or impede on the feelings that other minority groups may face.”
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Sad to have just received this letter.
I will not be silenced by @UKLabour MPs who continue to dismiss the contributions of those who don't conform to their view of how ethnic minorities should behave. pic.twitter.com/gBhLvtKKwt — Priti Patel (@pritipatel) June 11, 2020
The group – which included former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, Clive Lewis and Rosena Allin-Khan – said the cabinet minister should consider the impact of her words on Black communities “trying to highlight their voices against racism”.
But on Twitter, Patel said she was “sad” to have received the letter.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--A Week Of Lessons Learned? With Layla Moran MP

A Week Of Lessons Learned? With Layla Moran MP
George Floyd’s death continued to reverberate around the world this week, with protests in Bristol leading to the tearing down of Edward Colston’s statue due to his links to the slave trade. Is Britain finally facing up to the systemic racism present in the country?


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--Stormzy Pledges £10m To Charities And Organisations Fighting Racial Inequality

Stormzy has pledged £10 million over the next 10 years to organisations, charities and movements committed to fighting racial inequality, justice reform and Black empowerment in the UK.
The chart-topping musician and his company #Merky said the pledge was “just the beginning of our lifetime commitment to financially and wholeheartedly back these causes”.
Stormzy Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP
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In a statement, Stormzy said: “The uncomfortable truth that our country continuously fails to recognise and admit, is that black people in the UK have been at a constant disadvantage in every aspect of life – simply due to the colour of our skin.
“I’m lucky enough to be in the position I’m in and I’ve heard people often dismiss the idea of racism existing in Britain by saying ‘If the country’s so racist how have you become a success?!’ and I reject that with this: I am not the UK’s shining example of what supposedly happens when a black person works hard.
“There are millions of us. We are not far and few. We have to fight against the odds of a racist system stacked against us and designed for us to fail from before we are even born.
“Black people have been playing on an uneven field for far too long and this pledge is a continuation in the fight to finally try and even it.”
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Stormzy and #Merky added that additional information on the pledge would be announced in due course, as they urged others to join them in pledging.
Stormzy during his headline set at Glastonbury last year zz/KGC-138/STAR MAX/IPx
Throughout his time in the spotlight, Stormzy has repeatedly used his platform for good.
In 2018, he announced that he would be funding scholarships for two Black British students a year to attend Cambridge University, covering their tuition fees and providing a maintenance grant. The scheme was extended in 2019.
He also launched his own publishing imprint, #Merky Books, a collaboration with Penguin Random House, in July 2018, encouraging submissions from young writers.
The Vossi Bop star has also been vocal about a number of social and political issues, with the Grenfell Tower fire being a cause particularly close to his heart.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--Watch Live: Matt Hancock Gives Latest Coronavirus Update

Watch Live: Matt Hancock Gives Latest Coronavirus Update
Health secretary Matt Hancock leads the daily coronavirus press briefing as England's Test and Trace programme identifies nearly 32,000 people in its first week of operation.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--Why Harry Potter Will Always Belong To The Fans, No Matter What JK Rowling Tweets

Unless you’ve literally been living in the cupboard under your stairs, you’ll be aware by now of JK Rowling’s tweets around the subject of transness and trans identity.
Sharing an article on Twitter about ‘people that menstrate’, she remarked: ”‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”
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Following a backlash, Rowling shared further tweets explaining her belief that a person’s biological sex is unchangeable but that she also supports the fight of trans women.
“If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth,” she said.
In another tweet, she said: “The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women - ie, to male violence - ‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences - is a nonsense.”
Her comments have caused upset at the very heart of the Harry Potter fandom. Trans fans and trans allies have condemned her words.
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Responses from trans Potter fans range from those who cannot hide their utter devastation to others using comedy to cope.
I decided not to kill myself because I wanted to know how Harry's story ended. For a long time, that was all that kept me alive. Until I met my husband who helped me learn to love myself and to want to live. You just insulted him to my face. I hate you. — Kate Beetle 🏳🌈 (@scary_library) June 6, 2020
To every other trans Harry Potter fan. I love and you and my DMs are always open. We deserve better. Fuck JKR. — Karla Beauty Marx (@karlabeautymarx) June 7, 2020
I hate that I spent money on Harry Potter. I read the books, watched the movies and am Trans. @jk_rowling has become a millionaire and has used her platform to discriminate against the weakest group of people who are violently killed more than any other minority group. #JKRowling — Apophis161 (@ApophianNights) June 7, 2020
Harry Potter doesn’t actually have an author. Nobody knows who wrote the books. Kinda crazy — Fatima⁷ (@fatimafarha_) June 7, 2020
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Transness is a complex issue, and entertainment personalities including Jonathan Ross at first came out in support of Jo’s comments, only to remove his support later and concede he is “not in a position to decide what is or isn’t considered transphobic.”
In a lengthy essay published on her website on 10 June this year, the author outlined her reasons for speaking out on sex and gender issues, and said her understanding of the conversations around transness began a few years ago.
But for trans Harry Potter fans that feel deeply upset by her comments, it’s integral to remember the old adage; ‘bad artists can make good art.’ This approach is backed by prominent creatives from the community, such as Teddy Lamb, a non-binary writer and performer.
“For me, you can separate the art from the artist if they’re financially separate too,” they say.
“I won’t be buying any new Harry Potter merchandise or paying to see any new films - but my memories remain and I won’t let her taint them. If my nephew wants to read the books one day, I’ll buy him copies from a charity shop so JK doesn’t get a cut.”
“My memories remain and I won’t let her taint them” - Teddy Lamb, non-binary writer and performer
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“My message would be to read trans and queer authors, raise our siblings up so that we can one day have a platform like hers, and use it more responsibly,” they added.
And some fans have been sharing similar messages of support on social media to help give distraught Potter fans a lift.
My 13yo LGBTQ+ daughter told me, “You can love the art without loving the artist.” She loves your books, but she is very, very disappointed in you. — in love with words (@inl0vewithw0rds) June 7, 2020
If yall can separate the art from the artist Im doing the same with JK Rowling and HP. Even if U don’t do that screw u. You’ll have to pry these books from my hands. I dont know that hoe but I do know Tom Marvolo MF Riddle. I ain’t giving this one up. I’ll fight her tho, on god. — eliza thornigga 🎃🕷🦇 (@shitbagshawty__) June 9, 2020
because of recent issues with jk rowling, i have now realized the need to separate the art from the artist. i will continue loving and supporting the harry potter series while pretending that harry wrote it himself, thank you. — kay⁷ 🖋 yoonkook au (@minimeowngi) June 7, 2020
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I think the books were written a long time ago and HP is SO much bigger than JK Rowling. It's okay to love the art and not the artist when they're so separate. — Beth 💗 blm (@owlswifty) June 7, 2020
Daniel Radcliffe wrote Harry Potter not JK Rowling 😚😚😚😚 separate the art from the artist HAHAHAHA — Gaby 🔮 #BlackLivesMatter #OustDuterte (@_gabyymartinezz) June 9, 2020
personally i’m not a fan of separating the art from the artist... but i make exceptions for aunt becky and JK rowling. society has advanced past them — local fish (@humptystumpty) June 8, 2020
It’s an uncomfortable thought, but one that has been proof-tested by history, even for artists who have been accused of conduct going well beyond controversial tweets.
Picasso has been accused of misogyny and abuse, but in artistic terms his work is omnipresent and his imprint as a forefather of the Cubist movement is untarnished.
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And more recently, Woody Allen - despite years of domestic sexual abuse claims, which he denies - remains a celebrated auteur filmmaker.
Even more recently, Michael Jackson was accused of child abuse - allegations denied by the Jackson estate - but his songs continue to be played on the radio.
Work by Theo Julien Forrester, a Trans artist who makes comics for The Gayly Prophet website. Theo Julien Forrester
So, if you dislike what Rowling said, remember that her fictional universe of creations exist separately to her. She may have written the characters, but they are set free now.
They exist not solely in her mind, but in the coffered walls of Hogwarts, along the cobbled stones of Diagon Alley and down the atmospheric corridors of the Ministry of Magic.
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Once you open the books, or turn on the films, you, too, have traversed beyond the anonymous brick wall of Platform 9 and ¾ at King’s Cross. You too are back in the comforting and familiar world you were always within - a land JK Rowling has no control over anymore.
These are your stories - no one, and no opinion - can take them away from you.
J.K. Rowling has made comments on Twitter which have been condemned by some of her fanbase Taylor Hill via Getty Images
It’s a statement backed by Harry Potter himself, actor Daniel Radcliffe, who in an impassioned personal letter to fans published on The Trevor Project’s website encouraged queer, questioning, gay, lesbian, trans and trans ally youth - and anyone else needing support - to remember that their relationships with Harry Potter is “sacred”.
“Transgender women are women,” he said. “Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I.
“To all the people who now feel that their experience of the books has been tarnished or diminished, I am deeply sorry for the pain these comments have caused you.”
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Daniel Radcliffe attends the WarnerMedia Upfront at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, May 15, 2019, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP) Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
He continued: “I really hope that you don’t entirely lose what was valuable in these stories to you. If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe, capable of overcoming anything; if they taught you that strength is found in diversity, and that dogmatic ideas of pureness lead to the oppression of vulnerable groups; if you believe that a particular character is trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual; if you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life — then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred.”
Books and films are memory formers and create passions which can last a lifetime. Thirteen years after the final Potter novel was released in July 2007, the /HarryPotter fandom on Reddit still frequently has over 2,500 people on the ‘The Marauder’s Map’ (Potter slang for ’online viewers) at any one point in the day.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--Nigel Farage Steps Down From LBC Radio Show 'Effective Immediately'

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Nigel Farage has stepped down from his LBC radio show with immediate effect, the station has announced.
In a tweet posted on Thursday, LBC explained that the former Ukip leader’s contract was due to expire “very shortly” and his departure was agreed following discussions.
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“Nigel Farage’s contract with LBC is up very shortly and, following discussions with him, Nigel is stepping down from LBC with immediate effect,” the post read.
“We thank Nigel for the enormous contribution he has made to LBC and wish him well.”
Nigel Farage’s contract with LBC is up very shortly and, following discussions with him, Nigel is stepping down from LBC with immediate effect. We thank Nigel for the enormous contribution he has made to LBC and wish him well. — LBC (@LBC) June 11, 2020
News of the problematic politician’s departure has been welcomed online.
James O’Brien, who also presents a show on LBC, tweeted: “We got our station back.”
We got our station back. — James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) June 11, 2020
Writer and broadcaster Daniel Storey wrote: “Fair play to LBC - Farage’s contract cancelled. Long, long overdue, but wrong righted.”
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Fair play to LBC - Farage's contract cancelled. Long, long overdue, but wrong righted. https://t.co/DYS5FprBPu — Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) June 11, 2020
Speaking to HuffPost UK on Tuesday, fresh after getting the better of Farage on national television, Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu expressed concerns about his place at LBC.
“Farage’s comparison of the Black Lives Matter movement to the Taliban makes his involvement with LBC incompatible and inconsistent with any stance of solidarity a national station like LBC claims to have with its Black audience,” she said.
Nigel Farage spouts tin-pot conspiracy theories about Black Lives Matter being some marxist plot and so @SholaMos1 bends him over her knee like a BOSS!@KateWilliamsme pic.twitter.com/2nOMiYHDeb — Femi (@Femi_Sorry) June 9, 2020
Reacting to his resignation on Thursday, Mos-Shogbamimu tweeted: “Nigel Farage is out of LBC? Couldn’t have happened to a nicer person. We thank him for nothing.”
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Nigel Farage is out of LBC? Couldn't have happened to a nicer person. We thank him for nothing. https://t.co/qSZ2IVbKvv — Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu (@SholaMos1) June 11, 2020
Journalist Aaron Bastani, posted a laughing GIF in response to the news.
Farage out from LBC I’m hearing? pic.twitter.com/P6OXlOKUO2 — Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) June 11, 2020
Someone else wrote: “Good riddance. He’ll be on bloody statue vigilante watch now I bet.”


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--A Minute Of Kindness: This Man Covered His City With Happiness Signs

A Minute Of Kindness: This Man Covered His City With Happiness Signs
Gary King is known as “The Happiness Guy” in St. Petersburg, Florida. After a life of compounding distress and deep depression, Gary put up signs with the word ‘Happiness’ as part of a social experiment, to lift the mood of the city, as well as his own. Seven months and eighty-one signs later, he’s become a local hero.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--We Need A Volunteer Army To Help Children Locked Out Of Learning During Lockdown

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Children always fall back significantly in their learning when they are away from school or nursery for the summer holidays. But imagine what’s been happening under lockdown to children whose parents lack ability with reading and numbers. Those without books in homes where there is no laptop or tablet for worksheets – some 700,000 children, according to the Children’s Commissioner – are falling further behind than those from more affluent families.
These are the children who have been hardest hit by lockdown. New evidence from the Education Endowment Foundation estimates that school closures could widen the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers by as much as 75 percent. But if the Department for Education moves fast, we still have time to design a summer catch-up programme for pupils who have been locked out of learning.
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As Chair of the Commons Education Select Committee, and alongside organisations and charities such as Save the Children, I have already called for a volunteer army of former teachers and graduates to give extra tuition and pastoral care to primary and secondary pupils. Now, Save the Children and I are making the case for going much further and rallying volunteers from every background to support a national effort for pre-school children.
So why not organise a summer of structured learning and play for the youngest, delivered by qualified early years practitioners and supported by vetted volunteers? There will need to be central guidance on social distancing, training, safeguarding and activities, but communities should be able to tailor such a scheme to their local needs. The new frontier of vulnerabilities presented by Covid-19, including possible increased exposure to online harms and domestic violence, demands rigorous safeguarding checks of volunteers, both to protect the pre-school children and tutors. A mechanism to assure the quality of training, tuition and pastoral care must also be established.
Klaus Vedfelt via Getty Images
MPs in the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Integration have warned that the three-quarters of a million people who signed up as NHS Responders risk being turned off volunteering altogether if we do not urgently find something positive for them to do. This is our chance.
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Providing children with a programme that enables them to play and learn in a safe, welcoming environment will have immediate benefits, not only for them but also for parents and carers who would welcome the chance to get back to work or look for a job, knowing their young ones were in good hands.
Across the UK, there are already organisations – primary schools, nurseries and charities – which have the infrastructure and expertise to run these activities. Hundreds of thousands of people are part of a children’s volunteering army, giving their time selflessly to coach football or run Scouts’ groups or help out with play schemes. At Save the Children alone, there are more than 5,000 volunteers who are itching to do their bit.
Then there are grandparents and godparents who have missed the fun of small children for months, students desperate for something to do and furloughed retail and hospitality staff whose passion is dealing with people.
There is a lot of talk about the national spirit. What more powerful symbol of it could there be than committing together to give this gift from one generation to the next, and to say with one voice that we will treat every child in the coronavirus generation as if they were our own?
Just as there was the right will and passion for the NHS Responders, so we need that same vision for a national education army of volunteers to transform the life chances of those children who have been left behind during the coronavirus pandemic.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--UK Records 151 More Coronavirus Deaths In 24 Hours, Bringing Total To 41,279

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Get the latest on coronavirus. Sign up to the Daily Brief for news, explainers, how-tos, opinion and more.
The number of people who have died in the UK after testing positive for coronavirus has risen to 41,279 – an increase of 151 over 24 hours.
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The figures cover the period up to 5pm on Wednesday, but the true number of deaths may be significantly different. Here’s a quick primer on what all the different numbers mean and how to understand them.
Meanwhile, as of 9am on Thursday, 6,240,801 people have been tested for coronavirus, with 291,409 coming back positive.
As of 9am 11 June, there have been 6,240,801 tests, with 197,007 tests on 10 June.
291,409 people have tested positive.
As of 5pm on 10 June, of those tested positive for coronavirus, across all settings, 41,279 have sadly died.
More info:
▶ https://t.co/xXnL3FU15k pic.twitter.com/Cj7lhQIk8N — Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) June 11, 2020
This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter here, and on Facebook here.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-11--The Science Behind The Two-Metre Coronavirus 'Rule' Boris Johnson Is Under Pressure To Change

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“TWO METRES APART!!!”
This short, concise and very precise command has been drummed into us Brits over the last few months as one of the most effective ways we can help stop the spread of coronavirus.
That was until Boris Johnson announced the social-distancing rule will be cut to one-metre, but only where another protection – such as face coverings - is possible. It was soon dubbed the “one-metre plus” rule, and is applicable in England, and has paved the way for the government to allow pubs, restaurants, museums and cinemas to reopen from July 4 in a meaningful way..
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But, given apparently drastic shift, is it safe? Let’s walk through the issues
What is the new coronavirus guidance?
The relaxed rule says people must stay two metres apart, but can come within one metre of each other from July 4 provided one “mitigation” is in place.
Among the protective measures listed were: a screen, facing away from each other, hand-washing, a face covering and minimising contact with others.
Johnson said the new rules will be reviewed on July 21 and if there is a resurgence of the disease, ministers could bring back some lockdown restrictions.
“Where it is possible to keep two metres apart, people should,” the prime minister.
“But where it is not, we will advise people to keep a social distance of one metre-plus, meaning they should remain one metre apart while taking mitigations to reduce the risk of transmission.”
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Why the change?
The country’s closed bars, pubs and restaurants, have been leading the calls for a one metre reduction.
The hospitality industry argues that operating with the strict two metre restriction is not financially viable, due to the limits in place on safe numbers of customers and staff in indoor spaces.
Those working in the sector say a one metre reduction would save thousands of jobs, but have warned that even with this change trade is only expected to be at just over half the level compared to the year before.
Who else could benefit?
Reducing the two metre social distancing restriction could also allow schools in England to reopen fully by September.
Although primary schools were encouraged to open to more pupils from June 1, many school leaders said they were not able to because of a lack of space for distancing.
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Easing the restriction may enable more children to return to their education and also allow parents to return to work, especially those who cannot afford childcare.
So where does the two metre rule come from?
1930. Seriously.
Research from nearly a century ago found that the droplets released in coughs or sneezes travel around one to two metres. Being the cautious nation of worriers that we are, authorities decided it would be best to stick to this upper limit.
Isn’t there anything more... modern?
Yes, lots.
In a thoroughly modern study published this very month in the medical journal The Lancet, scientists concluded that the risk of being infected is estimated to be 13% within one metre, but only 3% beyond that.
It concludes: “The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis support physical distancing of one metre or more and provide quantitative estimates for models and contact tracing to inform policy.”
What do scientists say?
Scientists have argued that the risk of exposure to the virus reduces with increased physical distance.
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The government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) was told earlier this month that a one-metre distance could carry up to 10 times the risk of two metres.
But experts have also pointed out much is unknown about how far coronavirus can be transmitted via airborne droplets.
Some point out that larger droplets fall to the ground within one metre, but others have highlighted studies indicating smaller droplets can be projected up to eight metres away.
One factor that is practical, albeit weather-dependent, is the inside/outside distinction.
What about the UK’s top scientists?
The government’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance has in the past said that the two metre rule is “relative” rather than “absolute” and could be changed based on the setting and the prevalence of Covid-19.
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Prof Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, has previously suggested social distancing restrictions could be in place for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.
At the final daily press conference, both stressed that mitigation measures must be properly adhered to.
Prof Whitty stressed that there was a risk coronavirus could start to increase in its spread.
“A lot of the changes are about emphasising things that we can do and it is really critical that individuals and firms take these really seriously,” he said.
“Because if we don’t take them seriously, then chains of transmission between households will be reestablished.”
He added: “It is absolutely critical people stick to the guidance that has been given, it’s a changed guidance for there are still very significant restrictions socially and there are very significant restrictions on business of different sorts.”
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On the changes to the two-metre rule, Prof Whitty said it was a “balance of risk”.
“I think that this is a reasonable balance of risk,” he said, but it was “absolutely not risk-free”.
Sir Patrick added: “Two metres is safer than one metre if it is unmitigated. But if you add the mitigations, if you start looking at things like orientation – being side by side or back to back – is ventilation good? Are face coverings been worn? Are there screens in place?”
What do other countries do?
Guidance from the World Health Organisation states people should keep a distance of one metre from each other and China, Denmark, France, Hong Kong, Lithuania and Singapore are examples of countries that follow this.
South Korea goes with 1.4 metres and Australia, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, 1.5 metres.
The US, imperial dinosaurs that they are, go with 1.8 metres (six feet).
Only Canada and Spain go the full two metres.
Anything else I need to know?
It’s important to remember that catching coronavirus from someone sneezing in your face isn’t the only way it can be transmitted – touching a surface contaminated with the virus and then touching your face is the other main route.
There is also the “aerosol” route – tiny particles small enough to travel in the air rather than being expelled in larger droplets from a cough, for example, and then falling to the ground.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-12--Schools ‘Cut Corners’ With Bigger Class Sizes To Meet June 1 Reopening Deadline

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Some schools in England “cut corners” on Covid-19 safety guidelines by running larger class sizes when they reopened to more pupils, a new survey suggests.
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The survey by trade union Unison found that more than one in five (22%) of support staff reported their primary schools operating classes of greater than 15 pupils, the cap recommended by public health experts.
In a bid to meet the government’s June 1 deadline to take in extra children, nursery school class sizes of eight children were also breached, according to nearly half (48%) of those surveyed.
The data was compiled from more than 8,000 employees, of which seven in ten (71%) are teaching and learning support assistants working in primary, nursery and special schools in England.
Schools have been operating protective bubbles - containing a fixed number of pupils and one teacher - that don’t interact with other classes through the day. Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 were all allowed back into classrooms last week.
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The system recognises that young children cannot realistically obey the 2m rule on social distancing for adults, but it relies on a cap on pupil numbers to be effective.
The results came just days after education secretary Gavin Williamson was forced to abandon Boris Johnson’s “ambition” to get all primary pupils back at school before the summer for four weeks of classroom time.
With secondary schools reopen to more pupils from next Monday, the figures suggest that some schools are finding it difficult to stick to the guidelines due to a lack of staff.
In a little-noticed remark, Williamson suggested in the Commons this week that he was ready to look again at the 15-pupil limit, hinting it could rise if the cases of coronavirus continued to fall.
“The limit of 15 children per class obviously limits the ability to have as many year groups in school as we would like, but as that is changed, we will have the ability to slowly and cautiously move forward and welcome more children back to school when it is the right time,” he said.
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Unison’s head of education Jon Richards said: “This survey shows the pressures schools have been under to meet the June deadline.
“The result is some corners have been cut, with staff either not consulted in time, or not at all in some cases.
“Now unions, staff and ministers must work together to get many more pupils back in September. Children and staff must be brought back safely, and parents allowed to get back to work.”
Several unions are determined to support the most disadvantaged pupils hit hardest by the lacks of classroom time, exploring new ways to get either laptops or other provision to them.
Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson arrives in Downing Street, London, after the introduction of measures to bring the country out of lockdown. PA
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The Unison survey also found that nearly one in five (19%) teaching support staff said they weren’t consulted on their workplace risk assessment in good time before the wider reopening.
Some four fifths (80%) of respondents said their school or nursery has not provided any detail on how the government’s ‘test, trace and isolate’ system will work in their area.
A third (33%) said their school or nursery is not allowing staff to use personal protective equipment (PPE) if they wish to - and almost a quarter (23%) said they were not given it even after a risk assessment was needed.
The Department for Education said it would expect all schools to follow its published guidance, which says for primary schools, classes should normally be split in half, with no more than 15 pupils per small group.
A spokesperson said: “Last week marked the first, cautious step in a phased approach to bringing more children back into the classroom, with secondary schools and colleges beginning to provide some face-to-face support to more students from Monday.
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thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-12--UK 'Formally Confirms' It Will Not Extend Brexit Transition Period

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Michael Gove has “formally confirmed” the UK will not extend the Brexit transition period beyond the end of 2020 and that “the moment for extension has now passed”.
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The Cabinet Office minister made the announcement following a video meeting of the EU Joint Committee on Friday.
Earlier today the first ministers of Scotland and Wales called for an extension.
But in a tweet this afternoon, Gove said: “I formally confirmed the UK will not extend the transition period and the moment for extension has now passed.
“On 1 January 2021 we will take back control and regain our political & economic independence.”
It comes as the UK economy contracted by more than a fifth in the first full month of lockdown, as shops and factories closed and workers were sent home.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that economic activity was down by 20.4% in April, the largest drop in a single month since records began in 1997, and worse than many experts were forecasting.
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The UK had committed to introduce import controls on EU goods in the new year, but ministers are now expected to adopt a more flexible approach to prevent the departure compounding the chaos from Covid-19.
Boris Johnson has repeatedly insisted he will not ask for a delay to the end of the transition period, despite businesses and critics warning of the dangers of a departure without a trade agreement in place.
A virtual summit between the prime minister and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen to try to break the deadlock in trade negotiations has been scheduled for Monday.
The negotiating teams have also agreed to “an intensified timetable” for July with possible discussions in person if public health guidelines enable them during the coronavirus pandemic.
The pace of talks will be scaled up so negotiators will meet in each of the five weeks between June 29 and July 27, No 10 said.
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The UK’s 14-day quarantine period for new arrivals should not hinder the talks in its current form, with the rules having an exemption for those on official visits such as negotiations.
The new details came after the fourth round of negotiations failed to reach a breakthrough last week.
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier lamented there having been “no significant areas of progress” as he accused the UK of having “backtracking” on the agreed political declaration.
His counterpart in Downing Street, David Frost, said they would have to “intensify and accelerate” the process if there was to be any chance of an agreement.
Both sides also said the remote meetings had reached their limit and that face-to-face meetings would be needed in order to progress.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-12--JK Rowling: Domestic Violence Charities Slam ‘Stomach Churning’ Sun Front Page

JK Rowling, who revealed on Wednesday that she had faced domestic abuse. ANGELA WEISS via Getty Images
A front page article in the The Sun featuring an interview with JK Rowling’s first husband under the headline “I slapped JK and I’m not sorry”, has prompted more than 500 complaints to the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
The article, which HuffPost UK has chosen not to share, features a quote from Rowling’s first husband Jorge Arantes in which he admits to striking the Harry Potter author but denies “sustained abuse”.
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A spokesperson for IPSO said most of the complaints had been made under clauses 2 (privacy), 3 (harassment), 4 (intrusion into grief or shock) and 11 (victims of sexual assault).
Several of the UK’s largest domestic abuse charities have condemned the front page, slamming it as “irresponsible” and “upsetting”.
Jane Keeper, director of operations at Refuge, said: “The front page of The Sun this morning is as irresponsible as it is disappointing.
“It would ordinarily be troubling for such an editorial decision to be made - but to run with this during lockdown, when demand to Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline have increased by 66% is shocking. What this has done is give national media coverage to a perpetrator of domestic abuse to attempt to justify his actions.
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“It is never acceptable to hit a woman. The first ‘slap’ can lead to a pattern of violence - and domestic abuse is against the law. Domestic abuse can and does result in domestic homicide - 2 women a week in England and Wales are killed by a current or former partner. This is not an issue to be taken lightly.
“In England and Wales one in four women will experience domestic abuse at some point in their life. What sort of message does this front page send to survivors? That their abuser will be given national media headlines to justify their actions? That their abuse is legitimate? That it doesn’t matter? That they are ‘fair game’?
“To every survivor of domestic abuse who reads these headlines today - Refuge hears you, we see you, and we believe you. We are here to support you.”
Headlines matter. This morning we have been speaking to The Sun about today's front page and the negative impact it has had, and we will continue to speak to them to reflect survivors' voices. We listen to and believe survivors of domestic abuse. https://t.co/uDU5puIhxz — Women's Aid (@womensaid) June 12, 2020
Suzanne Jacob OBE, chief executive of domestic violence charity Safe Lives said the article, which emerged just a day after Rowling revealed she had faced abuse in the past, was tantamount to “handing a megaphone” to a perpetrator of abuse.
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She said: “This isn’t the first upsetting headline we’ve seen about domestic abuse, and sadly I doubt it will be the last.
“What’s so stomach churning about this cover in particular, is that it takes the words of a perpetrator and splashes them across the front page – effectively handing a megaphone to a man who wants to cause fear and humiliation to a woman he has abused.
“The words will be familiar to many survivors; how many people will walk past a newsagent today and hear the voice of their own abuser ringing in their head?
“We ask why reporting rates are so low, why victims don’t speak up and come forward. With reporting like this it really isn’t hard to understand why. Survivors deserve so much better than this.”
Many newspapers follow media guidance from regulator-backed campaign group Level Up when it comes to reporting on fatal domestic abuse, focusing on accountability for the perpetrator, accuracy when reporting the crime, dignity for the woman and her family, promoting equality by avoiding insensitive language and avoiding generic stock images that suggest domestic abuse is simply a physical crime.
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Janey Starling, campaign director at Level Up and author of the IPSO-backed guidance said: “We live in a country where two women a week are murdered by a partner or ex-partner in acts of fatal domestic abuse. It’s a matter of public safety that press step up to their responsibility to respect victims and their dignity.
“Domestic abuse is when someone wants absolute power and control over their partner. When newspapers publish domestic abuse from the perspective of the abusive partner, they are giving them further power and control, and disrespecting a victim’s dignity and privacy.”
“Last year, both regulators IPSO and IMPRESS backed the Level Up guidance. Many newsrooms have transformed their reporting practices. But front pages like today prove that guidance is not enough. If IPSO and the press are committed to using their power and influence to end domestic abuse in the UK, which they should be, it’s time to bring in stronger regulation and penalties for publications who go against reporting rules.
“This is a matter of life and death for women all across the UK, and it’s time for the press to stand on the side of the victim, not the abuser.”
The front page has also been fiercely criticised by MPs, with Jess Phillips describing it as “awful” and Stella Creasy saying “heads should roll” for the publication of the piece.
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The sun headline is awful, the perpetrator more awful still. You'd be surprised how only his hideous arrogant admission will allow some to believe. Still too often doubt and disbelief are the best weapon abusers have in their arsenal... "no one will believe you." — Jess Phillips MP (@jessphillips) June 11, 2020
The decision of the Sun to put an abusers ‘side of the story’ reflects how violence against women so often gets dismissed ‘as a domestic’ and so debate focuses on ‘reasons it happens’ rather than how to stop it. Heads should roll for doing this, not newspaper presses… — stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) June 12, 2020
Fellow Labour MP Harriet Harman also wrote: “Shame on The Sun. Men who hit women will be emboldened. Women who are hit blamed.
“Not just your women readers. Your women employees too.”
Shame on @TheSun. Men who hit women will be emboldened. Women who are hit blamed. Not just your women readers. Your women employees too https://t.co/D7sBpaRSWQ — Harriet Harman (@HarrietHarman) June 12, 2020
The cover first emerged on Thursday night, with #DontBuyTheSun quickly picking up traction as social media users voiced their disbelief at the publication of the article.
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Slapping your partner *is* domestic abuse — Victoria Derbyshire (@vicderbyshire) June 12, 2020
That Sun front page is absolutely unbelievable. At a time when domestic abuse cases have risen as a result of lockdown, it's dangerous to plaster that across a newspaper. Women's Aid Scotland's helpline is 0800 027 1234, if you need support. — Laura Webster (@LauraEWebsterr) June 11, 2020
Rowling’s publication of a lengthy essay – in which she put forward a defence of her comments on trans identity – on Wednesday night did not name Arantes specifically, but did refer to her first husband.
Many fans of her books, including trans people and trans allies, have voiced their hurt in the wake of a series of tweets made by Rowling, but on Friday morning made it clear that The Sun’s interview with Arantes was unjustifiable.
Solidarity with JK Rowling as a national newspaper cruelly gives voice to her abuser. We are united in condemning this - we won't be played off as enemies in this fight. Trans people fall victim to the same systems of oppression and stand against all violence against all women. — Gendered Intelligence (@Genderintell) June 12, 2020
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The Sun's cover story today is a monstrous choice that glorifies and endangers women. Domestic abuse is real and the effects on even one victim can hurt thousands, as this cover demonstrates. We must focus on male violence. Trans women did not cause this harm. — Support Black Bookshops and Publishers (@secondshelfbks) June 12, 2020
If the Sun is banking on outrage against JKR's transphobia meaning we'll support them platforming her abuser on their front page, they're wrong. Domestic abuse is a plague and using it as a gotcha like this is grotesque. No abuser should be given a platform, especially like that. — Universal Basic Elainovision (@scattermoon) June 11, 2020
Met with a barrage of complaints on social media, The Sun moved to defend the piece on Friday morning – claiming it had “a long history of standing up for abused women”.
In a statement, a spokesperson said: “We were disgusted by the comments of JK Rowling’s ex-husband, and branded him ‘sick’ and ‘unrepentant’ in our coverage.
“It was certainly not our intention to ‘enable’ or ‘glorify’ domestic abuse, our intention was to expose a perpetrators total lack or remorse. Our sympathies are always with the victims.
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“The Sun has a long history of standing up for abused women and campaigning against domestic violence. Our campaigns have kept refuges open, providing a safe space for women and children to escape violence, as well as getting laws changed.
“Over the years we have empowered countless victims to come forward and seek help.”
Refuge- Domestic violence help for women and children - 0808 2000 247


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-12--Boris Johnson Says It's 'Shameful' That Churchill Statue Is 'At Risk Of Attack'

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Boris Johnson has said it was “absurd and shameful” that the statue of Sir Winston Churchill was “at risk of attack” from protesters.
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In a long Twitter thread posted on Friday, the prime minister added: “We cannot now try to edit or censor our past.”
A protective box has been erected around the statue Churchill in Parliament Square, while scaffolding and boards have been put up around the Cenotaph after the monuments were targeted last weekend.
The protests, sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, saw some clashes between protesters and police in London, while in Bristol a statue of Edward Colston was pulled down and dumped in the harbour.
It is absurd and shameful that this national monument should today be at risk of attack by violent protestors. Yes, he sometimes expressed opinions that were and are unacceptable to us today, but he was a hero, and he fully deserves his memorial. 2/8 — Boris Johnson #StayAlert (@BorisJohnson) June 12, 2020
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Johnson said: “The statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square is a permanent reminder of his achievement in saving this country – and the whole of Europe – from a fascist and racist tyranny.
“It is absurd and shameful that this national monument should today be at risk of attack by violent protesters. Yes, he sometimes expressed opinions that were and are unacceptable to us today, but he was a hero, and he fully deserves his memorial.
“We cannot now try to edit or censor our past. We cannot pretend to have a different history. The statues in our cities and towns were put up by previous generations.
“They had different perspectives, different understandings of right and wrong. But those statues teach us about our past, with all its faults. To tear them down would be to lie about our history and impoverish the education of generations to come.”
Westminster Council street marshals stand next to a protective covering installed overnight surrounds the statue of former prime minister Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square. ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Johnson added that the “only responsible action” was to stay away from planned protests this weekend.
“As for the planned demonstrations, we all understand the legitimate feelings of outrage at what happened in Minnesota and the legitimate desire to protest against discrimination,” he added.
“Whatever progress this country has made in fighting racism – and it has been huge – we all recognise that there is much more work to do.
“But it is clear that the protests have been sadly hijacked by extremists intent on violence. The attacks on the police and indiscriminate acts of violence which we have witnessed over the last week are intolerable and they are abhorrent.
“The only responsible course of action is to stay away from these protests.”
It comes after Black Lives Matter (BLM) organisers cancelled a protest in London’s Hyde Park over fears it would be hijacked by far-right groups.
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Former English Defence League (EDL) leader Tommy Robinson has expressed support for calls by the Democratic Football Lads Alliance for people to travel to the capital to protect monuments.
London mayor Sadiq Khan has pleaded with the public to stay at home amid concerns that further protests in London, particularly by far-right groups which “advocate hatred and division”, could lead to violence and disorder.
Reports suggested violent protesters could be jailed within 24 hours after justice secretary Robert Buckland and home secretary Priti Patel drew up plans based on the response to the 2011 London riots.
Anybody caught vandalising, causing criminal damage or assaulting police officers could be quickly processed through magistrates’ courts with extended opening hours, according to The Times.
More than 130 people have been arrested as more than 155,000 people across the UK took part in almost 200 demonstrations, according to the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC).


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-12--People In Most Deprived Areas Twice As Likely To Die Of Coronavirus Than The Most Wealthy

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The coronavirus mortality rate is more than twice as high in the most deprived areas of England compared to the wealthiest parts, new data from the Office for National Statistics has revealed.
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According to the figures, there was an average of 128.3 deaths involving Covid-19 per 100,000 people in the poorest parts of the country between March 1 and May 31.
In the least deprived areas, there was an average of 58.8 deaths per 100,000 people.
In total, there were 46,687 deaths in England and Wales between March 1 and May 31 involving coronavirus, meaning Covid-19 was involved in a quarter of all deaths during this period.
The mortality rate of deaths involving #COVID19 in the most deprived areas of England was more than double that in the least deprived areas:
▪ most deprived: 128.3 deaths per 100,000 population
▪ least deprived: 58.8 deaths per 100,000 populationhttps://t.co/o4C8FTpyBA pic.twitter.com/WXpS73JMpG — Office for National Statistics (ONS) (@ONS) June 12, 2020
The ONS data showed that the area with the highest overall Covid-19 mortality rate in England and Wales was the London borough of Brent, with a rate of 210.9 deaths per 100,000 people.
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Brent was followed by four more London boroughs – Newham (196.8), Hackney (182.9), Harrow (178.0) and Haringey (177.9).
Outside London, the local authority area with the highest mortality rate across this period was Middlesbrough (169.2 deaths per 100,000), followed by Hertsmere (161.6), Salford (159.9), Watford (153.8) and Liverpool (144.5).
Sarah Caul, head of mortality analysis at the ONS, said that while general mortality rates tend to be higher in deprived areas, “Covid-19 appears to be increasing this fact”.
She added: “Although London had some of the highest Covid-19 mortality rates in the country during March and April, it is now experiencing lower mortality rates compared with most areas.
“During May, the region with the highest age-adjusted Covid-19 mortality rate was the north-east, where the rate was double that of London. The south-west region continued to have the lowest mortality rate overall and during each of the last three months.”
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There were an estimated 33.1 deaths involving Covid-19 per 100,000 population in north-east England across May, compared with 15.7 per 100,000 in London.
David Innes, head of economics at charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation said: “Before the pandemic hit there were signs that our record on tackling poverty and health inequalities was unravelling. Covid-19 has laid bare just how stark those inequalities are.
“It is completely unacceptable that someone’s life chances are so profoundly affected by where they live. Today’s statistics must act as a wake-up call – as a society with a strong sense of decency and compassion we can and must do better,” he said.
“The deep recession we are now entering is a necessary consequence of the steps taken to protect public health. The government’s furlough scheme has protected millions of jobs but it cannot be right that the poorest in our society are now bearing the brunt of the economic fallout from coronavirus too.
Innes added that it is “vital” the government takes further steps “to protect people from being pulled further into poverty as lockdown is lifted”.


thehuffingtonpostuk--2020-06-12--Are Temperature Checks A Good Test For Coronavirus?

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As shops, hair salons and tourist attractions prepare to reopen, many people are wondering how they plan to keep customers safe.
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John Lewis, for example, is installing hand sanitising facilities around stores, in addition to signage telling people to keep two metres apart. It will have frequently cleaned touch points, too, including basket handles, lift buttons, door handles and chip and pin payment devices.
Some stores are planning to implement temperature checks at entrances using so-called “thermometer guns” to see if customers have a fever – one of the symptoms of coronavirus. The devices measure the heat coming from the surface of a person’s body.
So, is this a useful way of detecting Covid-19?
Temperature checks can work to some degree, but they shouldn’t be used as a safety measure alone, experts tell HuffPost UK. If used, they should be carried out in conjunction with strict hygiene measures and enforced social distancing.
One of the reasons for this is that many people with the virus will be asymptomatic, meaning they don’t have any symptoms. They’re still infectious, but this would go undetected if they had their temperature checked.
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It’s unclear how many people tend to be asymptomatic, however a study in Iceland found 50% of people randomly tested for the virus didn’t have any symptoms. Some cruise ship studies found that figure to be even higher, with up to three quarters of people showing no symptoms.
Professor Ashley Woodcock, an expert in respiratory medicine at the University of Manchester, tells HuffPost UK temperature checks would miss all asymptomatic cases – so there would be many false negative results.
And by September, when common cold and flu season starts, people are likely to show a fever, but they won’t have coronavirus, Prof Woodcock adds. “There will be false positive results – more than the true positives, which should be low by then.”
Another anomaly is that people can record a high temperature even if they aren’t ill – they might’ve been exercising, or it could be because of medication they’ve taken.
While Prof Woodcock doesn’t recommend temperature checking being the only measure used to keep customers safe, he does say they could provide a useful deterrent to stop people taking a risk.
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Dr James Gill, a GP based in Warwick, says the accuracy of non-touch thermometers – the ones typically used at shops and airports – is “not great”. It’s been suggested they’re unreliable when used outside of healthcare settings.
This is because the people carrying out the checks might not be properly trained in doing so. They might, for instance, not hold the temperature gun close enough to the customer’s forehead – or they could hold it too far away. Accuracy may also depend on the type of thermometer being used.
“Ultimately, checking temperatures will be a very small part of trying to prevent a second wave,” says Dr Gill. “Even a small positive step is useful, but we have much greater evidence that continued social distancing and public use of face masks will be a much stronger defence against the second wave of Covid-19 as lockdown reduces.”
Prof Woodcock agrees. People should still keep two metres apart and follow hygiene precautions like hand sanitising on entering and exiting shops, he believes. “For the moment, you just have to assume everyone as being positive, and take the correct self hygiene precautions,” he adds.