inews--2020-05-08--Captain Tom's War, ITV, review: A reminder that Captain Moore has always been a national hero

Captain Tom 's War , ITV , review : A reminder that Captain Moore has always been a national hero The fundraiser was dispatched to Burma to fight the Japanese army , enduring spiders , downpours , dengue fever and brutal attacks Captain Tom Moore ’ s 100th birthday falling so close to VE Day made Captain Tom ’ s War a no-brainer for ITV .
A lot of ground was covered in just half an hour .
The centenarian , who recently raised almost £33 million for NHS charities , was on hand to recount his time in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beginning of the Second World War .
“ Being conscripted didn ’ t do me any harm at all , ” he said in the matter-of-fact tone we ’ ve all fallen for over the last month .
Still sporting the same moustache as the one in his uniformed portrait as a 20-year-old and with his Yorkshire accent , Moore was an absolute delight to spend time with .
He was unintentionally hilarious , quipping that “ it did get a bit hot ” while fighting in India , and his bravery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the ruthless Japanese soldiers in Burma , now Myanmar , is often referred to as ‘ The Forgotten War ’ but this documentary suggested it was one of the toughest regions to be dispatched .
Spiders “ as big as your hands ” , endless downpours and the threat of malaria loomed large , though the self-effacing Moore simply described his surroundings as “ uncomfortable ” .
Selfless as always , he also made sure to remind us that VE Day did not mark the end of the war for his regiment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further three months .
Bringing us back to the present day and his walking , Captain Tom said , “ A Yorkshireman ’ s word is his bond .
I said I ’ d do it , so I ’ ll do it , ” a hint of well-deserved but rare pride in his voice .
His walking may have made him famous but Captain Tom , along with his comrades , has always been a national hero .

Captain Tom’s War, 8pm, ITV ★★★★
Captain Tom Moore’s 100th birthday falling so close to VE Day made Captain Tom’s War a no-brainer for ITV. A lot of ground was covered in just half an hour. The centenarian, who recently raised almost £33 million for NHS charities, was on hand to recount his time in the British Army after he was conscripted at the beginning of the Second World War.
“Being conscripted didn’t do me any harm at all,” he said in the matter-of-fact tone we’ve all fallen for over the last month.
Still sporting the same moustache as the one in his uniformed portrait as a 20-year-old and with his Yorkshire accent, Moore was an absolute delight to spend time with. He was unintentionally hilarious, quipping that “it did get a bit hot” while fighting in India, and his bravery and determination shone through.
The fight against the ruthless Japanese soldiers in Burma, now Myanmar, is often referred to as ‘The Forgotten War’ but this documentary suggested it was one of the toughest regions to be dispatched. Spiders “as big as your hands”, endless downpours and the threat of malaria loomed large, though the self-effacing Moore simply described his surroundings as “uncomfortable”.
Selfless as always, he also made sure to remind us that VE Day did not mark the end of the war for his regiment, who toiled in Burma for a further three months.
Bringing us back to the present day and his walking, Captain Tom said, “A Yorkshireman’s word is his bond. I said I’d do it, so I’ll do it,” a hint of well-deserved but rare pride in his voice. His walking may have made him famous but Captain Tom, along with his comrades, has always been a national hero.


inews--2020-05-08--Coronavirus lockdown: Police and politicians warn public not to use bank holiday sunshine as an excu

Coronavirus lockdown: Police and politicians warn public not to use bank holiday sunshine as an excuse to break lockdown

Coronavirus lockdown : Police and politicians warn public not to use bank holiday sunshine as an excuse to break lockdown The authorities are worried about people flouting the rules over the weekend The authorities are concerned that the long weekend , coupled with warm conditions and alleged mixed messaging from the Government , could prove `` tempting '' for people .
Ministers set five tests for any significant easing of the lockdown , including a significant reduction in the number of Covid-19 infections and deaths .
The latest statistics showed another 626 people have died from coronavirus , bringing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 tests carried out rose to 97,029 - still below the 100,000 target - with 4,649 people testing positive for the virus .
Conservative MP George Eustice said : 'it is vitally important that we continue to abide by the current restrictions ' ( Photo : Getty ) Speaking at the Downing Street press conference on Friday night , Environment Secretary George Eustice said : `` Despite the sunny bank holiday , it is vitally important that we continue to abide by the current restrictions - stay at home to protect the NHS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also announced £16m in grants to provide food for people struggling due to Covid-19 , with 5,000 charities and community groups set to benefit .
Earlier Mark Drakeford , the First Minister of Wales , appealed for visitors to remember that `` Wales remains in lockdown '' , adding : `` A journey to the beach or to the mountains is not essential . ''
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the `` temptingly sunny bank holiday weekend '' should not be used as an excuse to break the rules .
Police forces warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure they have only left the home for a permitted reason .
Chris Joughin of Merseyside Police said : `` We will also be doing ad hoc stops to check that motorists are making essential journeys and officers on foot patrols will be talking to members of the public who are out and about to check that they are not breaching the regulations . ''
In an appeal to Londoners , the Metropolitan Police tweeted : `` We know that a sunny # BankHoliday can be tempting , but it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to # StayHomeSaveLives .
Thank you to everyone for continuing to stay at home . ''
Saturday is forecast to be another sunny day after good weather on Friday , with peak temperatures of 24C expected .
The weather will then take a turn for the worse on Sunday with the temperature falling to a low of 6C in places .
The Government has been accused of confusing the public after the Prime Minister announced he would make a speech on the next steps in the national lockdown and promised that some new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Opposition politicians claimed that his comments had encouraged the media to exaggerate the prospect of significant easing , sending a message that it is already safe for people to stop socially distancing .

Police and politicians warned the public not to break the lockdown rules during sunny weather over the bank holiday weekend.
The authorities are concerned that the long weekend, coupled with warm conditions and alleged mixed messaging from the Government, could prove “tempting” for people.
Ministers set five tests for any significant easing of the lockdown, including a significant reduction in the number of Covid-19 infections and deaths. The latest statistics showed another 626 people have died from coronavirus, bringing the total to 31,241.
The number of Covid-19 tests carried out rose to 97,029 – still below the 100,000 target – with 4,649 people testing positive for the virus.
‘Vitally important’
Speaking at the Downing Street press conference on Friday night, Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “Despite the sunny bank holiday, it is vitally important that we continue to abide by the current restrictions – stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.” Mr Eustice also announced £16m in grants to provide food for people struggling due to Covid-19, with 5,000 charities and community groups set to benefit.
Earlier Mark Drakeford, the First Minister of Wales, appealed for visitors to remember that “Wales remains in lockdown”, adding: “A journey to the beach or to the mountains is not essential.” Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the “temptingly sunny bank holiday weekend” should not be used as an excuse to break the rules.
Police forces warned they would carry out spot-checks on drivers to make sure they have only left the home for a permitted reason. Chris Joughin of Merseyside Police said: “We will also be doing ad hoc stops to check that motorists are making essential journeys and officers on foot patrols will be talking to members of the public who are out and about to check that they are not breaching the regulations.”
In an appeal to Londoners, the Metropolitan Police tweeted: “We know that a sunny #BankHoliday can be tempting, but it is as important as ever that you continue to #StayHomeSaveLives. Thank you to everyone for continuing to stay at home.”
Saturday is forecast to be another sunny day after good weather on Friday , with peak temperatures of 24C expected. The weather will then take a turn for the worse on Sunday with the temperature falling to a low of 6C in places.
The Government has been accused of confusing the public after the Prime Minister announced he would make a speech on the next steps in the national lockdown and promised that some new measures would come in from Monday. Opposition politicians claimed that his comments had encouraged the media to exaggerate the prospect of significant easing, sending a message that it is already safe for people to stop socially distancing.


inews--2020-05-08--Coronavirus: Global stocks rally while London traders take a break for Bank Holiday

Coronavirus : Global stocks rally while London traders take a break for Bank Holiday Markets were buoyant on the back of easing lockdowns in several countries Stock market traders in London took a day off amid celebrations for the 75th anniversary of VE Day , but their international counterparts were still working and global markets finished the week on a high note .
Global shares hit weekly highs against a backdrop of improved relations between the US and China , as well as the release of plans from more countries detailing how they will reopen their economies .
Wall Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers showed that the US economy shed fewer jobs than expected in April .
Official figures showed that non-farm payrolls plunged by 20.5 million in April – their steepest fall since the Great Depression of 1929-33 .
But the figure was lower than the 22 million forecast by economists polled by Reuters .
By late afternoon , the Dow Jones industrial average was 1.55 per cent higher and the S & P 500 was up by 1.31 per cent .
In Europe , Germany ’ s Dax index was 1.25 per cent higher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40 was up 0.89 per cent and the Swiss Market Index was up 0.49 per cent .
Coronavirus will make 2008 crisis look like ' a pinprick' President Donald Trump is planning to open up parts of the US economy as jobless queues get longer ( Photo : Chip Somodevilla/Getty ) Although the America ’ s jobless totals were not as bad as the markets had expected , traders said that the figures were a reminder of the economic toll that the coronavirus will take on the US economy .
“ This was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the toll on American livelihoods will dwarf the loss of American lives , ” said Ulas Akincilar , the head of trading at the online trading platform Infinox .
“ With more than 20 million Americans falling out of the labour force in a single month , the pain of the financial crisis looks like a pinprick.
” Pushed higher by announcements from countries rolling back lockdowns , a barrel of Brent crude was trading 2.1 per cent higher at $ 30 , while West Texas Intermediate had jumped by 2.3 per cent @ @ @ @

Stock market traders in London took a day off amid celebrations for the 75th anniversary of VE Day, but their international counterparts were still working and global markets finished the week on a high note.
Global shares hit weekly highs against a backdrop of improved relations between the US and China, as well as the release of plans from more countries detailing how they will reopen their economies.
Wall Street was given an additional boost when fresh numbers showed that the US economy shed fewer jobs than expected in April.
Official figures showed that non-farm payrolls plunged by 20.5 million in April – their steepest fall since the Great Depression of 1929-33. But the figure was lower than the 22 million forecast by economists polled by Reuters.
By late afternoon, the Dow Jones industrial average was 1.55 per cent higher and the S&P 500 was up by 1.31 per cent.
In Europe, Germany’s Dax index was 1.25 per cent higher by late afternoon. The French Cac 40 was up 0.89 per cent and the Swiss Market Index was up 0.49 per cent.
Coronavirus will make 2008 crisis look like ‘a pinprick’
Although the America’s jobless totals were not as bad as the markets had expected, traders said that the figures were a reminder of the economic toll that the coronavirus will take on the US economy.
“This was the moment when it became clear that the toll on American livelihoods will dwarf the loss of American lives,” said Ulas Akincilar, the head of trading at the online trading platform Infinox.
“With more than 20 million Americans falling out of the labour force in a single month, the pain of the financial crisis looks like a pinprick.”
Rising oil prices were also good news, just a few weeks after a total collapse led to crude selling for negative prices.
Pushed higher by announcements from countries rolling back lockdowns, a barrel of Brent crude was trading 2.1 per cent higher at $30, while West Texas Intermediate had jumped by 2.3 per cent to $24.10.


inews--2020-05-09--Homeless man 'fighting for his life' after two rough sleepers attacked in central London

Homeless man 'fighting for his life ' after two rough sleepers attacked in central London In one night , two homeless men were assaulted in separate incidents The suspect is described as white , and was wearing a dark blue jacket , blue trousers and white trainers ( Photo : Met Police ) A homeless man has been left fighting for his life after two rough sleepers were attacked in central London in the early hours of Thursday morning .
In the first incident , a 44-year-old man was assaulted by two men in Westminster at around 4.30am .
Both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
CCTV caught an attack on another homeless man , 32 , outside Waterloo Station just two hours later .
The first victim was taken to a south London hospital , where he remains in critical condition .
The second suffered head injuries and was also taken to a south London hospital , but is stable .
A 34-year-old man has been charged in connection with the assault at Waterloo .
However , the Metropolitan Police have released a CCTV image of a second man they wish to identify and speak with in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The suspect is described as white , and was wearing a dark blue jacket , blue trousers and white trainers ( Photo : Met Police ) He is described as white , and was wearing a dark blue jacket , blue trousers and white trainers .
The police force said : `` Do you recognise this man ?
Detectives are appealing for information following a serious assault on a rough sleeper on Victoria Street in the early hours of Thursday morning . ''
Anyone with information is asked to contact officers based in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

A homeless man has been left fighting for his life after two rough sleepers were attacked in central London in the early hours of Thursday morning.
In the first incident, a 44-year-old man was assaulted by two men in Westminster at around 4.30am. Both suspects fled the scene before police arrived.
CCTV caught an attack on another homeless man, 32, outside Waterloo Station just two hours later.
The first victim was taken to a south London hospital, where he remains in critical condition.
The second suffered head injuries and was also taken to a south London hospital, but is stable.
CCTV evidence
A 34-year-old man has been charged in connection with the assault at Waterloo.
However, the Metropolitan Police have released a CCTV image of a second man they wish to identify and speak with in connection with the assault in Westminster.
He is described as white, and was wearing a dark blue jacket, blue trousers and white trainers.
Appeal for help
The police force said: ” Do you recognise this man? Detectives are appealing for information following a serious assault on a rough sleeper on Victoria Street in the early hours of Thursday morning.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact officers based in Westminster via 101 quoting reference Cad 1910/07May.


inews--2020-05-09--Fake coronavirus test kits, masks and hand sanitisers are being sold, as UK sees 'significant surge'

Fake coronavirus test kits, masks and hand sanitisers are being sold, as UK sees 'significant surge' in scams

Fake coronavirus test kits , masks and hand sanitisers are being sold , as UK sees 'significant surge ' in scams Some councils have seen a 40 per cent rise in reported scams since the start of the Covid-19 emergency The Local Government Association ( LGA ) said some councils have seen a 40 per cent rise in reported scams since the start of the Covid-19 emergency .
One council alone seized more than half a million unsafe facemasks , and substandard hand sanitiser and fake testing kits are also being sold .
Other scams include criminals tricking people into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not exist - either online , door-to-door , by phone , text or email .
There have also been reports of false communications about how to claim school meals funding and government grants , and criminals cold-calling residents at people ’ s homes offering to do shopping errands .
Some people have been caught out by a text or email which says they have been fined £60 for leaving their house more than once in a day .
When they click on the attached link their details are stolen .
Councils are advising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from trusted retailers , and not accepting services from strangers .
If people do not have friends or families to run errands for them they can contact their local council .
'People need to be cautious' Councillor Simon Blackburn , Chair of the LGA ’ s Safer and Stronger Communities board , said : `` Some councils have seen a significant surge in reports of scams by criminals exploiting coronavirus fears to prey on vulnerable and older people self-isolating .
`` People need to be cautious .
If something doesn ’ t seem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true , don ’ t hesitate to end a phone call , bin a letter , delete an email or shut the door .
`` It ’ s important that victims don ’ t suffer in silence or feel embarrassed .
By reporting a scam , people can help someone else avoid being a victim of these despicable crimes and help councils track down the fraudsters , bring them to justice and recover their money .
`` Councils will continue to prosecute and seek the toughest penalties for these criminals .
During this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that everybody - relevant businesses such as banks , family , friends and neighbours - plays their role in preventing fraud from happening in the first place . ''

Scammers are capitalising on the coronavirus pandemic by selling fake protective equipment and tricking people into paying made-up fines.
The Local Government Association (LGA) said some councils have seen a 40 per cent rise in reported scams since the start of the Covid-19 emergency.
One council alone seized more than half a million unsafe facemasks, and substandard hand sanitiser and fake testing kits are also being sold.
Other scams include criminals tricking people into paying for goods or services that do not exist – either online, door-to-door, by phone, text or email.
Fake fines and shoddy protective equipment
There have also been reports of false communications about how to claim school meals funding and government grants, and criminals cold-calling residents at people’s homes offering to do shopping errands.
Some people have been caught out by a text or email which says they have been fined £60 for leaving their house more than once in a day. When they click on the attached link their details are stolen.
How’s there coronavirus scam texts going ‘round?
Regularly disgusted by the human race 🤬 pic.twitter.com/mD9zFMcqdK — ★ K E N N Y ★ (@TheKennyScott) May 4, 2020
Councils are advising people to be diligent by only buying from trusted retailers, and not accepting services from strangers.
If people do not have friends or families to run errands for them they can contact their local council.
Case studies reported by the LGA More than half a million substandard face masks and 2,600 bottles of illegal hand sanitiser taken off the market by Ealing Council
A car repair garage reported to Havering Council after allegedly trying to sell coronavirus testing kits to customers
A telephone conman posing as a Swindon Council worker sorting food parcels in a bid to obtain a pensioner’s personal details
A woman in her 80s in Surrey who answered the door to a man who tried to demand £220 in cash to complete a health and safety check
‘People need to be cautious’
Councillor Simon Blackburn, Chair of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities board, said: “Some councils have seen a significant surge in reports of scams by criminals exploiting coronavirus fears to prey on vulnerable and older people self-isolating.
“People need to be cautious. If something doesn’t seem right or sounds too good to be true, don’t hesitate to end a phone call, bin a letter, delete an email or shut the door.
“It’s important that victims don’t suffer in silence or feel embarrassed. By reporting a scam, people can help someone else avoid being a victim of these despicable crimes and help councils track down the fraudsters, bring them to justice and recover their money.
“Councils will continue to prosecute and seek the toughest penalties for these criminals. During this unprecedented time, it’s important that everybody – relevant businesses such as banks, family, friends and neighbours – plays their role in preventing fraud from happening in the first place.”


inews--2020-05-09--Coronavirus latest: UK missing 60 per cent of Covid-19 cases by focusing on coughs and fever, expert

Coronavirus latest: UK missing 60 per cent of Covid-19 cases by focusing on coughs and fever, expert warns

Coronavirus latest : UK missing 60 per cent of Covid-19 cases by focusing on coughs and fever , expert warns Prof Spector has developed a symptom-tracking app that has allowed his team to collect and analyse data from three million people A leading epidemiologist has claimed that two thirds of coronavirus cases in Britain are left undiagnosed and that the Government 's data on confirmed cases and recoveries is “ all nonsense ” .
Tim Spector , professor of genetic epidemiology at King ’ s College London , is behind the development of a symptom-tracking app that has allowed him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data from more than three million people in the UK .
He is heavily critical of the government 's refusal to class common symptoms of Covid-19 as official indicators of the virus .
At the moment , Whitehall lists a continuous cough and a high temperature as the primary symptoms of the coronavirus .
However , it has discounted evidence that a loss of taste or smell is a common sign of infection .
“ The reason that we got a bit stuck in this country is we took the data from China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the disease only has two symptoms : it ’ s fever or it ’ s persistent cough.
’ That meant we were missing about 60 per cent of cases , ” he told The Times .
“ Only people with those two symptoms got tested and ended up on the statistics .
All this governmental data on confirmed cases and how many people have recovered , it ’ s all nonsense.
” The app , developed in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care , sends 10,000 app users Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days of developing symptoms .
In the six weeks since the app went live , the team have identified clear patterns from the data and plot how the virus will likely progress in the individual depending on those early symptoms .
The data indicates that the coronavirus may have arrive in Britain around the New Year , as many users reported having classic symptoms in January .
By the end of April , here were more than 300,000 symptomatic cases , a huge slide down from a peak of more than two million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Regular coronavirus testing will be a must of any return to action ( Photo : Getty ) “ We ’ re able to allocate people into five or six groups at the moment that follow different patterns of symptoms at different time points , ” Professor Spector added .
“ It ’ s not random.
” Those whose symptoms are a sore throat and muscle pains , which then develop to include diarrhoea , stomach pains and fatigue make up one group .
A second group maps out individuals whose symptoms start out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cough and fatigue .
The cough in this instance gets much worse , shortness of breath develops and they are more likely to need hospital treatment .
Alan McNally , professor of microbial genomics at the University of Birmingham , agreed that there were many possible signs of Covid-19 infection , but felt it was right that the Government focus their attentions on a few .

A leading epidemiologist has claimed that two thirds of coronavirus cases in Britain are left undiagnosed and that the Government’s data on confirmed cases and recoveries is “all nonsense”.
Tim Spector, professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, is behind the development of a symptom-tracking app that has allowed him and his team to collect and analyse data from more than three million people in the UK.
He is heavily critical of the government’s refusal to class common symptoms of Covid-19 as official indicators of the virus.
At the moment, Whitehall lists a continuous cough and a high temperature as the primary symptoms of the coronavirus. However, it has discounted evidence that a loss of taste or smell is a common sign of infection.
“The reason that we got a bit stuck in this country is we took the data from China and just instantly said, ‘OK, the disease only has two symptoms: it’s fever or it’s persistent cough.’ That meant we were missing about 60 per cent of cases,” he told The Times.
“Only people with those two symptoms got tested and ended up on the statistics. All this governmental data on confirmed cases and how many people have recovered, it’s all nonsense.”
Identifying symptom patterns
The app, developed in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care, sends 10,000 app users Covid-19 tests each week within the first few days of developing symptoms.
In the six weeks since the app went live, the team have identified clear patterns from the data and plot how the virus will likely progress in the individual depending on those early symptoms.
The data indicates that the coronavirus may have arrive in Britain around the New Year, as many users reported having classic symptoms in January.
By the end of April, here were more than 300,000 symptomatic cases, a huge slide down from a peak of more than two million at the start of the month.
“We’re able to allocate people into five or six groups at the moment that follow different patterns of symptoms at different time points,” Professor Spector added. “It’s not random.”
Those whose symptoms are a sore throat and muscle pains, which then develop to include diarrhoea, stomach pains and fatigue make up one group. A second group maps out individuals whose symptoms start out as a headache, and progress to a cough and fatigue. The cough in this instance gets much worse, shortness of breath develops and they are more likely to need hospital treatment.
This classification, Prof Spector believes, should be used to determine which individuals are at high risk.
Alan McNally, professor of microbial genomics at the University of Birmingham, agreed that there were many possible signs of Covid-19 infection, but felt it was right that the Government focus their attentions on a few.
“I don’t see where on earth you draw a line on symptoms and whether or not they are Covid,” he said.


inews--2020-05-09--Coronavirus in the UK: Garden centres set to reopen in England and Wales in first stage of relaxing

Coronavirus in the UK: Garden centres set to reopen in England and Wales in first stage of relaxing lockdown restrictions

Coronavirus in the UK : Garden centres set to reopen in England and Wales in first stage of relaxing lockdown restrictions The Prime Minister is set to announce on Sunday that horticultural retailers will be able to serve customers in England from Wednesday Garden centres will be among the first non-essential stores allowed to reopen next week as part of the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions in England and Wales .
The Prime Minister is set to announce on Sunday that horticultural retailers will be able to serve customers in England from 13 May providing that shoppers continue to obey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing measures in place we believe they can open safely from next week . ''
Customers will be asked to remain two metres away from each other , and nursery bosses will be expected to put restrictions in place , including controls on the number of people shopping at any one time .
This will be similar to the methods introduced at UK supermarkets , including one-way aisles and queuing systems designed to limit shopper interactions .
There are also cleaning stations where trolley and basket handles can be disinfected , intensified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff .
Garden centres will also be told that any cafes or playgrounds associated with the retail space will not be able to reopen .
Research for the Horticultural Trades Association in April found that , even with access to UK Government aid packages , a third of businesses are likely to be insolvent by the end of the year in the face of the pandemic lockdown .
Some 13 per cent of the ornamental growers who responded to the poll claim they will be out of business by the end of June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more support for the gardening and plants sector ( Photo : Steve Parsons/PA ) Following the publication of the results , leading gardeners and television presenters , including Alan Titchmarsh , Adam Frost , Bunny Guinness and Joe Swift , backed calls for specialised support to be provided to the industry .
The announcement follows news that garden centres will be able to open from Monday in Wales .
Speaking at a briefing in Cardiff on Friday , Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said : `` Our second planned change to the regulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , provided the social distancing rules can be applied . ''
The Welsh Labour leader also said councils could plan to reopen recycling centres - a measure already recommended to English local authorities by Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick .
Environment Secretary George Eustice used his appearance at the Downing Street daily briefing on Friday to dampen expectations about a wholesale lifting of lockdown restrictions by the PM , stating that there `` is n't going to be any dramatic overnight change '' .

Garden centres will be among the first non-essential stores allowed to reopen next week as part of the gradual easing of lockdown restrictions in England and Wales.
The Prime Minister is set to announce on Sunday that horticultural retailers will be able to serve customers in England from 13 May providing that shoppers continue to obey social distancing measures.
A senior Government source said: “Garden centres typically open large open-air spaces where the risk of transmission of coronavirus is lower.
“With strict social distancing measures in place we believe they can open safely from next week.”
Customers will be asked to remain two metres away from each other, and nursery bosses will be expected to put restrictions in place, including controls on the number of people shopping at any one time.
This will be similar to the methods introduced at UK supermarkets, including one-way aisles and queuing systems designed to limit shopper interactions. There are also cleaning stations where trolley and basket handles can be disinfected, intensified cleaning regimes and perspex screens for check-out staff.
Garden centres will also be told that any cafes or playgrounds associated with the retail space will not be able to reopen.
Growers going bust
Research for the Horticultural Trades Association in April found that, even with access to UK Government aid packages, a third of businesses are likely to be insolvent by the end of the year in the face of the pandemic lockdown. Some 13 per cent of the ornamental growers who responded to the poll claim they will be out of business by the end of June.
Following the publication of the results, leading gardeners and television presenters, including Alan Titchmarsh, Adam Frost, Bunny Guinness and Joe Swift, backed calls for specialised support to be provided to the industry.
Recycling centres under consideration
The announcement follows news that garden centres will be able to open from Monday in Wales.
Speaking at a briefing in Cardiff on Friday, Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “Our second planned change to the regulations is to allow garden centres to reopen, provided the social distancing rules can be applied.”
The Welsh Labour leader also said councils could plan to reopen recycling centres – a measure already recommended to English local authorities by Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick.
Boris Johnson will formally make the announcement about garden centres during his Sunday evening address to the nation.
Environment Secretary George Eustice used his appearance at the Downing Street daily briefing on Friday to dampen expectations about a wholesale lifting of lockdown restrictions by the PM, stating that there “isn’t going to be any dramatic overnight change”.
Additional reporting from Press Association


inews--2020-05-09--Coronavirus in the UK: Teaching unions say schools can't reopen without test-and-trace scheme and ex

Coronavirus in the UK: Teaching unions say schools can't reopen without test-and-trace scheme and extra money for cleaning

Coronavirus in the UK : Teaching unions say schools ca n't reopen without test-and-trace scheme and extra money for cleaning PPE supplies , extra funding for deep cleaning classrooms and proper contract tracing technology must be in place , bodies say Teaching unions have unveiled a list of key measures they believe must be met before pupils in England should be allowed to go back to school .
A supply of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) , extra funding for deep cleaning classrooms and the power for local authorities to close schools again in the event of Covid-19 outbreaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demands they believe must be met .
Unions are also calling for schools to remain shut until a successful nationwide track-and-trace scheme to identify those who need to quarantine is in place .
A mobile phone app to help contact tracing was tested on the Isle of Wight this week , however technological and ethical issues have led to the parallel development of a second app .
Published by the Trades Union Congress ( TUC ) , a joint statement was sent to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson from organisations including the National Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union , as well as supporting unions Unison , GMB and Unite .
They further called for `` clear scientific published evidence that trends in transmission of COVID-19 will not be adversely impacted by the reopening phase and that schools are also safe to reopen '' .
A list of “ essential ” measures to be met before pupils should be allowed to return to the classroom include : - Safety and welfare of pupils and staff as the paramount principle- No increase in pupil numbers until full rollout of a national test-and-trace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government , unions and education stakeholders to agree statutory guidance for safe reopening- Consideration of the specific needs of vulnerable students and families facing financial hardship- Additional resources for enhanced school cleaning , PPE and risk assessments- Local autonomy to close schools where testing indicates clusters of new COVID-19 cases '' Schools should not open until it is safe to do so and the government must commit to work with trade unions and others to agree a set of principles and tests to put safety systems in place in advance of any planned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments followed those of the chief inspector of Ofsted Amanda Spielman on Sunday .
She said she believed the interests of the nation 's youngest children would be best served by allowing them to return to school “ as soon as possible ” .
`` It 's hardest for parents to work and do all the other things they need to do if they 're also looking after perhaps several young children at the same time and trying to make sure they work through schoolwork remotely , ” she told Sophie Ridge on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the interests of children , it 's very clear that their interests are best served , in the vast majority of cases , by being back at school as soon as possible . ''

Teaching unions have unveiled a list of key measures they believe must be met before pupils in England should be allowed to go back to school.
A supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), extra funding for deep cleaning classrooms and the power for local authorities to close schools again in the event of Covid-19 outbreaks in the area are all among the demands they believe must be met.
Unions are also calling for schools to remain shut until a successful nationwide track-and-trace scheme to identify those who need to quarantine is in place. A mobile phone app to help contact tracing was tested on the Isle of Wight this week, however technological and ethical issues have led to the parallel development of a second app.
Published by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), a joint statement was sent to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson from organisations including the National Association of Head Teachers and the National Education Union, as well as supporting unions Unison, GMB and Unite.
They further called for “clear scientific published evidence that trends in transmission of COVID-19 will not be adversely impacted by the reopening phase and that schools are also safe to reopen”.
“Parents and staff need full confidence that schools will be safe before any pupils return,” TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said.
“The government must work closely with unions to agree a plan that meets the tests we have set out.
“Those discussions must include unions representing all school workers, not just teachers.”
A list of “essential” measures to be met before pupils should be allowed to return to the classroom include: – Safety and welfare of pupils and staff as the paramount principle
– No increase in pupil numbers until full rollout of a national test-and-trace scheme
– A national COVID-19 education taskforce with government, unions and education stakeholders to agree statutory guidance for safe reopening
– Consideration of the specific needs of vulnerable students and families facing financial hardship
– Additional resources for enhanced school cleaning, PPE and risk assessments
– Local autonomy to close schools where testing indicates clusters of new COVID-19 cases
Labour shadow education secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey further called on the government to “take heed” of the measures set out by trade unions.
“Schools should not open until it is safe to do so and the government must commit to work with trade unions and others to agree a set of principles and tests to put safety systems in place in advance of any planned reopening,” she said.
A spokesperson for the Department for Education has since responded to the news, saying: “Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has not set a date for schools reopening,”
“Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has not set a date for schools reopening.
“Schools will remain closed, except for children of critical workers and vulnerable children, until the scientific advice indicates it is the right time to re-open and the five tests set out by Government to beat this virus have been met.
“We are also working closely with the sector as we consider how to reopen schools, nurseries and colleges and will ensure everyone has sufficient notice to plan and prepare.”
Child link to virus spread ‘still evolving’
NHS England’s national medical director Professor Stephen Powis confirmed at a daily Downing Street conference last week that the “science” behind the contribution of children to the spread of the virus is “still evolving”.
His comments followed those of the chief inspector of Ofsted Amanda Spielman on Sunday. She said she believed the interests of the nation’s youngest children would be best served by allowing them to return to school “as soon as possible”.
“It’s hardest for parents to work and do all the other things they need to do if they’re also looking after perhaps several young children at the same time and trying to make sure they work through schoolwork remotely,” she told Sophie Ridge on Sky News.
“If you look at the interests of children, it’s very clear that their interests are best served, in the vast majority of cases, by being back at school as soon as possible.”


inews--2020-05-09--Long-term coronavirus lockdown could lead to permanent behavioural changes, professor says

Long-term coronavirus lockdown could lead to permanent behavioural changes , professor says Shoppers have switched from ' a pleasure-seeking mindset to a pain-avoiding one ' an expert has said The coronavirus pandemic is likely to change people 's behaviour long after lockdown is over , an expert has said .
Ben Voyer , professor of psychological and behavioural science at the London School of Economics , said shoppers have switched from `` a pleasure-seeking mindset to a pain-avoiding one '' .
He added that changes such as a reluctance to use cash and stockpiling of food and other essentials could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` In a pandemic , you suddenly shift from promotion to prevention - you pay much more attention to what could go wrong , and that change of mindset affects a lot of decisions you are making .
`` However , the effect of stress and anxiety varies from one individual to another , with some individuals ending up buying more , or comforting themselves with consumption , while others buy less or stock . ''
The longer lockdown measures are in place , the more likely permanent changes are ( Photo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remained open during lockdown have tried to limit the spread of coronavirus by prioritising cash-free transactions .
Prof Voyer said the lockdown could see more customers move away from cash payments , something which has been happening generally in society through the advent of contactless payments .
He said : `` The divide in consumer use of cash is already generational - with older people using more cash than younger people .
`` The fact that vulnerable people are asked to keep sheltering while younger ones join back the working force could mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find consumers readily accepting this and being able to use dematerialised payment .
`` In addition , vulnerable people may find it is perhaps better for them to adopt a different form of payment to be and feel safer . ''
But he added : `` If bank notes and coins are found to play a minor or no role , once more research becomes available , this could mean people revert back to older habits . ''
Long-term lockdown makes changes more likely While some of the behavioural changes triggered by lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-term restrictions on people 's freedoms are likely to have a lasting impact .
He said : `` If by September we are back to normal life , it is unlikely a lot of the things we have had to change to cope with the last few weeks will stay .

The coronavirus pandemic is likely to change people’s behaviour long after lockdown is over, an expert has said.
Ben Voyer, professor of psychological and behavioural science at the London School of Economics, said shoppers have switched from “a pleasure-seeking mindset to a pain-avoiding one”.
He added that changes such as a reluctance to use cash and stockpiling of food and other essentials could become a part of everyday life post-lockdown.
“The pandemic will likely have triggered a change in mindset for most people,” Professor Voyer said.
“Generally speaking we have evolved to seek pleasure and avoid pain.
“In a pandemic, you suddenly shift from promotion to prevention – you pay much more attention to what could go wrong, and that change of mindset affects a lot of decisions you are making.
“If you are not somebody who naturally stockpiles, you might start to stockpile.”
Stress and anxiety
Prof Voyer added: “In addition to this, one could add a rise in anxiety levels and stress, which also affect buying behaviours.
“However, the effect of stress and anxiety varies from one individual to another, with some individuals ending up buying more, or comforting themselves with consumption, while others buy less or stock.”
Many businesses that have remained open during lockdown have tried to limit the spread of coronavirus by prioritising cash-free transactions.
Prof Voyer said the lockdown could see more customers move away from cash payments, something which has been happening generally in society through the advent of contactless payments.
He said: “The divide in consumer use of cash is already generational – with older people using more cash than younger people.
“The fact that vulnerable people are asked to keep sheltering while younger ones join back the working force could mean that shops accelerate the transition as they find consumers readily accepting this and being able to use dematerialised payment.
“In addition, vulnerable people may find it is perhaps better for them to adopt a different form of payment to be and feel safer.”
But he added: “If bank notes and coins are found to play a minor or no role, once more research becomes available, this could mean people revert back to older habits.”
Long-term lockdown makes changes more likely
While some of the behavioural changes triggered by lockdown will be temporary, Professor Voyer said long-term restrictions on people’s freedoms are likely to have a lasting impact.
He said: “If by September we are back to normal life, it is unlikely a lot of the things we have had to change to cope with the last few weeks will stay.
“But if it stays over 12 months or more this will have a more long-term effect.”
Additional reporting by Press Association


inews--2020-05-09--100 days of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK: What happened, and what went wrong

100 days of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK : What happened , and what went wrong The first confirmed case of Covid-19 in the UK was announced on January 31 .
100 days later , i reflects on the key moments since then Friday , 31 January - First cases of Covid-19 in the UK Several locations in and around Brighton were quarantined ( Getty ) Friday , 28 February - First British fatality , on board the Diamond Princess Monday , 5 March - First death in the UK recorded Tuesday , 3 March - SAGE recommends to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Boris Johnson gives a press conference at 10 Downing Street in London ( Getty ) Saturday , 14 March - Matt Hancock denies ‘ herd immunity ’ is part of the government strategy Tuesday , 17 March - Rishi Sunak 's first set of emergency financial measures Airbus joined forces with Siemens , Ford and McLaren to manufacture ventilators ( Getty ) Tenants of Lissenden Gardens join in the weekly applause ( Getty ) British World War II veteran Captain Tom Moore , 99 , sits on a bench in the village @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 6 May - The promise of changes to lockdown measures

Friday, 31 January – First cases of Covid-19 in the UK
Exactly a month after the WHO confirmed the initial reports of the virus, the UK confirmed its first cases. It was a pair who had stayed at a hotel in York, one of whom was a student at the local university.
The response was comprehensive. The patients were initially taken to a hospital in Hull, before being transferred to a specialist infectious diseases unit in Newcastle, while the rooms in the hotel were deep-cleaned and disinfected. PHE said there was ‘minimal risk’ to those in the area.
In York itself, few noticed much difference – except in purchasing habits of protective equipment. John Cooke, store manager of Barnitts, said to the BBC at the time: “We have completely sold out of our face masks this weekend. We are not sure when we will get another delivery but demand for them has been really high.”
Monday, 3 February – Boris Johnson worries about “unnecessary economic damage”
In the first weeks of February the Prime Minister barely mentioned the virus in the Commons – leaving all updates to Health Secretary Matt Hancock who insisted the country was prepared for Covid-19. On the 3rd of February the Prime Minister gave a speech in Greenwich on the subject of Britain’s place on the global stage, in which he said free trade was “being choked” and could be threatened further by the emerging virus.
He said the world was now “starting to hear some bizarre autarkic rhetoric, when barriers are going up, and when there is a risk that new diseases such as coronavirus will trigger a panic and a desire for market segregation that go beyond what is medically rational to the point of doing real and unnecessary economic damage”.
And he said humanity needed “some government somewhere that is willing at least to make the case powerfully for freedom of exchange,” – and he said he was prepared to take on that role.
Exactly a month later, Mr Johnson gave a rather different speech – a coronavirus press conference in which he announced his Government’s “action plan” to protect the country by taking “all necessary and reasonable steps”.
“Keeping the country safe is the government’s overriding priority,” he said. “And our plan means we’re committed to doing everything possible based on the advice of our world leading scientific experts to prepare for all eventualities.”
Thursday, 6 February – The “super-spreader” in Brighton
In early February, there was a spate of further cases, and a spate of accusatory headlines unfairly blaming a “super-spreader.” At this point, the UK was still pursuing contact tracing, and it worked. Steve Walsh had returned from a conference in Singapore, which was suffering an early outbreak, to go to France. He infected five further British people who returned to the UK, including two GPs. They were all tracked and traced, and their contacts were tracked and traced, including patients.
At the time, PHE medical director Paul Cosford said the system was “incredibly robust,” pointing to successful tracking. “If we can identify cases early, we can stop the spread.”
For ten days following the Brighton outbreak, there were no further cases in the UK, and just nine by the end of the month. But less than two weeks into March, test and trace would be abandoned as a strategy on scientific advice.
Tuesday, 25 February – “Very unlikely” for virus to hit care homes
Public Health England issued advice saying it “remains very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home or the community will become infected” with coronavirus, but later claimed the issue of care homes being vulnerable was “flagged” “very early on”.
Two weeks on, former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, now chairman of the health select committee, called for a nationwide ban on external visits to care homes, but it wasn’t introduced until the nationwide lockdown 11 days later.
In the intervening period, the NHS issued an order to transfer 15,000 patients from hospitals back to the community, including care homes, to free up space and allow the NHS to operate within capacity – one of the key planks of the government’s coronavirus strategy. Significantly, on 2 April, the Department for Health issued a guidance note saying that for patients being discharged from hospital, “negative tests are not required prior to transfers/admissions into the care home”.
On 5 April, i asked Jenny Harries, England’s deputy chief medical officer, when blanket testing would be introduced in care homes. Dr Harries would say only that there was sample testing of up to five people per care home setting.
Figures now show that the deaths in care homes seemed to be peaking two weeks after the peak in hospitals in the middle of April, reflecting missed opportunities to protect residents and staff at the end of March when the lockdown was implemented. In the two weeks leading up to 24 April, more than 9,000 people people died from Covid in care homes. – Jane Merrick
Friday, 28 February – First British fatality, on board the Diamond Princess
The Diamond Princess cruise ship was quarantined for 27 days off the coast of Japan, and the first death of a British citizen occurred there. Eventually the virus spread throughout the ship, with the 3,711 passengers becoming unwitting parts of an accidental early experiment on the virus.
David Abel, who was on board the boat, told i about the failures to manage the ship-board quarantine at the time: “We’ve not been tested at all. We haven’t had a very extensive check. Apparently you can be infectious even if you don’t have symptoms and they can take a while to show so that’s worrying when there’s so many people in a confined space.”
Eventually, the passengers were comprehensively tested, and 712 people on the ship were diagnosed with it. The testing also revealed some 18 per cent of the infected were asymptomatic, a key finding that informed decisions taken around the world, hastening lockdowns as governments realised how easily the virus could be spread by those not showing symptoms.
Monday, 5 March – First death in the UK recorded
The first death in the UK was announced on 5 March, but the first death from Covid-19 actually occurred almost a week earlier, on 28 February. That didn’t become clear until some time later, and the confusion between how and when deaths were recorded and announced became one of the features of the pandemic.
Initially, the government announced an update each day at 2pm, which they’re still trying to do. Sometimes there were delays of a few hours, or adjustments, as you might expect during an unfolding crisis. But over the coming weeks, the flaws of those numbers became clear. Not all care home deaths were being included, and neither were deaths in the community. More accurate numbers were coming in from the ONS, which recorded deaths in all locations, as well as excess deaths, but only weekly – and with a delay of at least 10 days. But they revealed deaths were 41 per cent higher than the daily numbers.
It made comparing the spread and impact of the outbreak to other countries difficult, as they all struggled with similar issues – and made different decisions about which deaths to include, and when. Even now, while it’s clear the UK has one of the highest death tolls in Europe, the Italian equivalent of ONS, ISTAT, is having similar issues, suggesting this week that the death toll in the first three months of the year could be more than double what’s currently recorded. It’s further evidence that the full scale of the pandemic, and effectiveness of government response, won’t be understood for months, or maybe even years. The latest projections suggest well over 50,000 people have already died in the UK as a result of the pandemic – 25,000 above the numbers released every day.
Tuesday, 3 March – SAGE recommends to the Government that hand-shaking be banned
The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) committee recommended that that the Government should “advise against greetings such as shaking hands and hugging, given existing evidence about the importance of hand hygiene.”
On the same day, the Prime Minister told a press conference that he had been shaking hands: “I was at a hospital the other night where I think there were a few coronavirus patients and I shook hands with everybody, you will be pleased to know, and I continue to shake hands,” he said. “People obviously can make up their own minds but I think the scientific evidence is … our judgment is that washing your hands is the crucial thing.”
He then looked to his side for clarification, saying: “I’ll hand over to the experts.”
Sir Patrick Vallance, a key member of SAGE, responded only with: “Wash your hands”.
Two days later, Mr Johnson was on the This Morning sofa, once again encouraging everyone to wash their hands.
Monday, 9 March – FTSE 100 drops by 8 per cent
As pandemic measures began to bite around the world, and both the uncertainty and gravity of the situation developed, markets began to panic. On the 9th, the FTSE 100 dropped 500 points. A few days later, it dropped another 600.
Over the course of a few weeks, the FTSE dropped 34 per cent, closing below 5,000 for the first time since the financial crisis a decade ago. Since then it’s recovered somewhat, settling at closer to 6,000, just one indicator of the colossal economic crisis the public health crisis has brought about.
Tuesday, 10 March – Conservative MP Nadine Dorries tests positive
When Nadine Dorries became the first MP to test positive for the virus on 10 March, the issue of whether it was safe to continue with Parliament in its current form became a focal point.
It was obvious MPs had the potential to become superspreaders – meeting in their hundreds on the crowded Commons benches before dispersing to all corners of the country – but Health Secretary Matt Hancock insisted he would do everything in his power to keep Parliament open. It wasn’t for another week that Parliamentary officials restricted public access and, shortly after, ended all Commons debates.
Both houses rose early for Easter recess on 25 March but the virus had already spread: two days later it was confirmed that both the Prime Minister and Health Secretary had tested positive.
Commons staff worked over the extended recess to prepare for a form of virtual Parliament that would allow proceedings to continue in April, but the lack of forward planning earlier in the year meant there were weeks without proper Government scrutiny during a crucial time.
And this did not go unnoticed by opposition parties. Newly-elected Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer insisted Government decisions needed to be “challenged and subject to scrutiny”, even if it was only via video -link, and acting Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey described the lack of scrutiny at a time of “national crisis” as “intolerable”.
“The extended Easter recess was fortuitous for the parliamentary authorities tasked with getting parliament online but meant that no parliamentary questions could be asked and no emergency debates or urgent questions could take place during the crucial early weeks of the pandemic response,” Hannah White, of the Institute for Government, said. “Daily No.10 press conferences allowed some scrutiny of government, but questions from journalists could not replace the policy knowledge and lived experience which inform the questions asked by MPs and peers.”
Wednesday, 11 March – Budget 2020, and Liverpool vs. Atletico Madrid
The final football match to be played on British soil was between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid. i’s football correspondent Sam Cunningham was there.
“The decision to put football on hold was placed on the shoulders of the leagues and associations. Mass gatherings in the UK would not be banned until 10 days later.
Everything about that night looks wrong now. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was clearly uneasy, reacting angrily when supporters lunged out hands for high-fives as he walked out of the tunnel shortly before kick off. “Put your hands away, are you f***ing kidding?” he snapped.
There was an awkward moment when Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone reached out for the traditional handshake, which the Premier League had advised to avoid. The two men bumped forearms instead. We know, now, that was just as bad. They should not have been anywhere near each other.
We know, also, that for the game to have been safely played there should’ve been no tackling or jostling or celebrating together. No marking from corners and set pieces. No pre-match or half-time team talk in the confines of the changing rooms.
For it to be safe, the players would have had to play out the game two metres apart at all times, the supporters in the stands would have had to sit and walk around two metres apart at all times, along the touchline the players would have had to warm up two metres apart at all times. In short: it was impossible for the game to be played safely.” – Sam Cunningham
On that same day, Rishi Sunak, who’d rapidly ascended into the cabinet after Sajid Javid’s shock departure a few weeks before, announced his first budget. It was a ‘big-money budget’, presenting a fiscal stimulus of £30bn. There were plans for ‘levelling up,’ green initiatives, and help for the hospitality industry with a freeze on alcohol duty – as well as criticism over the OBR findings which suggested the UK would struggle to grow by 2 per cent over the next five years.
Within a week, a spending package ten times larger was announced, and the week after that the hospitality industry had been all but shut down, while the economy is now projected to shrink 14 per cent this year.
Thursday, 12 March – UK pauses contact tracing
The UK decided to stop contact tracing as it made the shift in strategy from containing the virus, to delaying the peak. Cases were rising rapidly, and the initial understanding was that contact tracing would stop being effective.
In fact, the UK was unable to increase capacity to the necessary level. In his first PMQs with Keir Starmer, in May, Boris Johnson admitted that capacity had been exceeded, saying: “The difficulty in mid-March was the tracing capacity that we had. And that had been useful, as he rightly says, in the containment phase of the epidemic. That capacity was no longer useful or relevant since the transmission from individuals within the UK meant that it exceeded our capacity then.”
At this point in March, the UK was able to conduct around 4,000 tests a day, while other countries have ramped up testing, with Germany testing 500,000 people a week. Patrick Vallance is asked about the success other countries have had with high volume testing, and responds that: “I think that would have been an absolutely brilliant thing to have had in January.”
Friday, 13 March 2020 – Cheltenham ends after four days
As sporting events around the world were being cancelled, Cheltenham was allowed to continue. i’s racing correspondent was there – and believes he caught Covid-19 as a result.
“Caught in the moment, that first seductive glimpse driving down Cleeve Hill of the magnificent racecourse down below, this year’s Cheltenham Festival seemed quite normal. The same glorious swell of anticipation. Our annual pilgrimage to the Cotswolds, for so many horseracing nuts the best four days of the year.
Of course, it wasn’t normal. We had wondered would, or should, Cheltenham be cancelled? Sanctioned by the top brass, and with extra hygiene facilities, the festival went ahead. The racecourse executive was cock-a-hoop, while the public voted with their feet – 60,664 turned up on the Tuesday and a total of 251,684 over the four days, a little down on recent years, but still huge numbers.
By Wednesday, it had become less about the racing, and more about the Coronavirus. Someone said out loud what many of us were thinking; that we were all guinea pigs in some Dr Strangelove experiment. It just felt reckless.
The Press from Ireland, where there was already a restriction on gatherings of 500 or more, was damning, even vicious, in its criticism of Cheltenham’s decision to race. A couple of the Irish reporters had already gone home.
The following Monday I developed mild but concerning symptoms and self-isolated. By the weekend I was laid up with a fever. Into day nine, my GP told me I probably had contracted Covid-19 and had most likely brought it home from Cheltenham, though I wasn’t tested so can’t be sure. She added that contact tracing after being part of such a massive gathering was futile.” – Jon Freeman
Saturday, 14 March – Matt Hancock denies ‘herd immunity’ is part of the government strategy
In a disastrous piece of government communications, for a few days in March the idea of ‘herd immunity’ was bandied around the public realm. The differences between what other countries were doing and the UK’s plans were becoming increasingly clear. Ireland was already closing schools despite having far fewer cases, but despite the Prime Minister saying on March 12 that “families are going to lose loved ones before their time”, he still seemed loath to take any dramatic action.
In those febrile following days, with an-ever expanding gulf between public understanding and government action, Robert Peston published a blog outlining the concept, and Patrick Vallance discussed the idea on the radio.
By March 14, public revulsion at the idea had forced Matt Hancock to write for the Telegraph denying ‘herd immunity’ was ever a government strategy. Based on SAGE documents later released, this is broadly true – the hope was to slowly impose restrictions, maintaining compliance from the public, and allowing a degree of immunity in the general population that could slow a more deadly second wave in the autumn.
The injudicious use of the phrase, however, raised dire fears that the government was prepared to let tens of thousands die to avoid taking significant action – fears that, based on the released documents, were never seriously in the plans of the government.
Monday, 16 March – Imperial Report released
But the big shift came two days later. Imperial College’s modelling group published a report that reverberated through government planning in the UK and abroad. It warned baldly that hundreds of thousands of deaths were likely on the government’s current course. The group said:“It was agreed that a combination of case isolation, household isolation and social distancing of vulnerable groups is very unlikely to prevent critical care facilities being overwhelmed.”
The major change to modelling came out of new information from Italy, stating that a far higher proportion of people needed intensive care and ventilation than was previously anticipated based on the earlier outbreaks in China and Italy. This shifted the model dramatically, revealing that surge ICU capacity was likely to be not just exceeded, but dwarfed, with the NHS unable to cope.
That afternoon, a harassed-looking Boris Johnson urged people to work from home, to stay away from pubs and restaurants, and to cut “non-essential contact”. He still, however, stopped short of enforcing those measures.
Tuesday, 17 March – Rishi Sunak’s first set of emergency financial measures
It was time, Mr Johnson said in the Downing Street press briefing alongside the Chancellor, to “act like a wartime Government” and do “whatever it takes” to protect the economy through the pandemic. Official lockdown had not yet been announced but, pre-empting the disruption it would cause for businesses and individuals, Rishi Sunak announced a £330bn package of financial support.
The package consisted of a huge amount of support but, as with many rushed policy announcements, holes were picked in it almost immediately. It was only the very start of the measures the Chancellor would announce and he would ultimately be forced to announce a range of additional policies.
1/ We will support jobs, we will support incomes, we will support businesses, we will help you protect your loved ones. We will do whatever it takes. Today, I am making available an initial £330bn of guarantees – equivalent to 15% of our GDP. Measures include: — Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) March 17, 2020
The first package was made up of business loans – including the Business Interruption Loan Scheme – cash grants for small companies and relief from household mortgage payments. The Government would also reimburse companies for the cost of employees on sick leave.
The business support was later expanded to include a specific “bounce-back” loan plan for smaller companies after scores reported being rejected by banks from existing lending schemes on offer. Mr Sunak also went on to announce further support for the self-employed but the measures were accused of being lacking by many who said the way the financial support is calculated – based on profit rather than turnover – has left them with a fraction of the income they would normally rely on.
The Job Retention Scheme was also introduced and has seen the Treasury pay the wages of millions of employees across the country in an attempt to protect them from being made redundant. The measure has still faced criticism from employees who started new jobs in March and, as a result, were not on their new companies payroll before the deadline. Despite minor changes to the scheme, thousands have still reported being left without a wage for weeks – forced to rely solely on Universal Credit.
Thursday, 19 March – Supermarkets struggle to fill their shelves
Significant shortages of many groceries were reported in the days leading up to Boris Johnson’s lockdown order, when rumours of its imminent arrival were whispered in the aisles of Tesco and a form of mass panic took hold. With social distancing and the rationing of key items both still in the future, shoppers scrambled to fill trolleys with toilet roll, eggs, hand sanitiser, and tinned goods.
One of the most dramatic stockpiling casualties has been flour. While most things soon returned to shelves – some, like eggs, are still occasionally hard to come by – flour has been gold dust. Six weeks into lockdown, the ingredient proves elusive in the supermarkets of Britain.
While many of the supply chains of the UK held up remarkably well in the circumstances, the shortage of flour was an example of a failure. It didn’t occur only because everybody has taken to baking, but because the industry is geared up toward providing the foodstuff to bakeries and large retailers. Sales of standard family bags doubled from two million to four million in a matter of days, and packers were soon at capacity. We have flour, but it is not easily prepared and distributed to the consumer market.
Lockdown has revealed many things about Britain. One is that we did not bake, but now we do, and it turns out we are reluctant to share our daily bread. – Josh Barrie
Friday, 20 March – Government hunts for ventilators
By mid-March, one of the Government’s biggest worries was a shortage of the ventilators used to keep the sickest Covid-19 patients alive in intensive care. Looking at the experience of China and Italy, where hospitals were overwhelmed and ventilators ran short, officials calculated that the UK would need a total of 30,000 ventilators – up from just 8,000.
A subgroup of Sage concluded on 20 March that London’s intensive care capacity was likely to be breached, regardless of what lockdown measures were imposed, with other areas of the UK likely to follow suit.
The Prime Minister launched a “ventilator challenge”, calling for innovative designs to get thousands more machines built in a matter of weeks. The splashiest response came from Brexiteer tycoon James Dyson, who said on 25 March that his firm had designed a new model which could be rolled out “quickly, efficiently and at volume”.
The Dyson ventilator was never needed. Ministers had overestimated demand, and although capacity never went much about 10,000 it was never breached in any region of the UK. The challenge was later cancelled – Dyson is now trying to sell its invention elsewhere. – Hugo Gye
Monday, 23 March – Nationwide lockdown announced
After days of speculation – some really quite elaborate – Mr Johnson ordered a nationwide lockdown, with people only allowed to leave their house for essential activities. Pubs, cafes and restaurants had already been asked to close three days earlier and the Government had been under increasing pressure to follow other countries in enforcing stricter rules when it became apparent the social distancing guidelines were not working.
Mr Johnson appeared initially reluctant to lay down strict rules, but he later relented and announced police would be given powers to fine anyone caught out and about without good reason, which have been used more than 9,000 times in just over a month.
But the stricter measures seem to have worked – two weeks later Coronavirus deaths were peaking, and they have been dropping slowly ever since. With the overall death toll likely to be the highest in Europe, many have begun to ask why the Prime Minister stalled something, in hindsight inevitable, for so long. One of those is Keir Starmer, who has repeatedly brought up Labour’s contention that the UK was “late into lockdown” in his first outings at the despatch box.
Thursday, 26 March – First clap for carers
The nationwide Clap for our Carers event encouraged members of the public, politicians and celebrities to leave their home and stand on their doorstep. At 8pm every Thursday since then, hands have been clapping, pots and pans clanging, and the few cars on the road noisily honking their horns for a couple of minutes.
“As a species, human beings need to affiliate with others to survive because we’re not a very strong species,” said behavioural scientist Dr Chris Cameron to i, adding that he is referring to evolutionary and cultural society theory.
“That affiliation is especially important in hard times… This pandemic has highlighted how much we need the people who are our carers. And I think for that reason it’s become even more important to show our affiliation and appreciation for them. That’s hardwired into our psychology. It’s something that will inevitably arise when these difficult times are upon us.” – Serina Sandhu
Friday, 27 March – Boris Johnson tests positive for Covid-19
When the Prime Minister was first diagnosed with coronavirus, there were murmurs about how careful Government ministers were being in following social distancing rules, but there was not a great deal of cause for concern – his symptoms were “mild”, Downing Street said.
A week later when he was supposedly preparing to end self-isolation Mr Johnson was, in fact, preparing for (or according to some reports, attempting to delay) his admission to St Thomas’s Hospital for further treatment. What followed – his week-long hospital stay including several days in intensive care – were deeply worrying for Mr Johnson’s loved ones, and many across the country.
But it also threw the whole system of government into disarray, and highlighted a centuries-long failure to enact a formal succession plan. Mr Johnson had asked Dominic Raab, as First Secretary of State, to deputise for him but there was little understanding as to what that would entail. The team at Number 10 were fielding novel questions about Mr Raab’s new power: yes, he is acting under instructions from the Prime Minister, no, the final decision for anything will be taken by the Cabinet, not him alone.
Articles were hastily researched about who, if anyone, would take over from Mr Raab should be become incapacitated, and then who after that – essentially listing the Cabinet in order of seniority. It felt cobbled together and, for many commentators, proved the need for better government planning.
For years, backbench MP Peter Bone has been putting forward suggestions of how succession planning should work – once earning a rebuke from Nick Clegg for his “morbid fascination” with the death of David Cameron. It looks now as though one of his bills on the topic will be debated this summer.
Tuesday, 31 March – Universal Credit claims soar
The damaging financial implications of the lockdown were crystallised when it was announced that nearly one million people had applied for Universal Credit, the Government’s flagship welfare programme, between 16 March – when the Prime Minister told everyone to avoid unnecessary travel and contact with others – and 31 March. This compares to around 110,000 claims that are usually made in a two-week period.
Despite the Government’s various schemes to help people forced out of work during the lockdown, the unprecedented surge in claims showed gaps in the approach. Around 500 people a minute visited the Universal Credit website after Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced on 26 March that self-employed workers would not receive any financial help from the Government until June. – Serina Sandhu
Thursday, 2 April – Government sets 100,000 tests a day target
Weeks into the pandemic, Matt Hancock announced a target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of the month. He achieved it after a last minute spike, with some questioning the validity of some of the measures implemented to achieve that spike.
Mr Hancock has been wearing an expression of barely concealed vindication, but in trumpeting his achievement he has claimed the UK is “miles ahead of South Korea,” a misleading statement. South Korea has been carrying out around 15,000 tests per day from the onset of the pandemic. As a result, it has largely contained the outbreak, resulting in around 10,805 confirmed cases and just 255 deaths.
The UK, in contrast, has suffered 100 times the number of fatalities. It failed to implement a sophisticated test and contact tracing programme at the very beginning of the outbreak, and since then it has been playing catch up. Equally, the UK has started to get much closer to Germany in terms of its capacity to run tests, but it is still a little way off the Germans’ test capacity of 860,500 tests a week.
Once testing capacity is increased to 200,000 per day, as Boris Johnson has set as a new goal for the Department of Health, the UK will overtake Germany’s testing ability. However, like South Korea, Germany’s ability to test and trace from the start has seen it weather the Covid-19 storm far better than the UK. – Richard Vaughan
Saturday, 4 April – Keir Starmer wins Labour leadership contest
For the first couple of months of the coronavirus crisis, the Government was let off rather lightly. Not only was there a huge period of time when the Commons was not sitting but Mr Johnson was facing a particularly weak opposition.
It’s the honour and privilege of my life to be elected as Leader of the Labour Party. I will lead this great party into a new era, with confidence and hope, so that when the time comes, we can serve our country again – in government. pic.twitter.com/F4X088FTYY — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 4, 2020
Enduring a Labour leadership contest which at times felt punishingly long, with Jeremy Corbyn still in the top job four months after he lost the December election, was an unfortunate position for the party to find itself in, a month into the pandemic. This changed at the start of April when Sir Keir Starmer won the leadership election with a decisive victory, beating rivals Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy. Out with the old (Corbyn loyalists) and in with the new (pretty much a selection from every other party faction).
Sir Keir faced off with Mr Johnson for the first time in the Commons a month later and was praised for his precise and lawerly questioning of the Prime Minister on death numbers, testing problems and the crisis in care homes. This was a different style of opposition to what the showman Mr Johnson was used to and, as noted by several commentators, more reminiscent of prosecution and accused than the usual battle of personalities we had become used to. The sigh of relief from Labour MPs was almost audible.
Saturday, 11 April – Social distancing survives a hot Bank Holiday weekend
Despite fears of a surge in people breaking social distancing rules over a baking hot Bank Holiday weekend, they proved unfounded – despite some cleverly angled photography that attempted to suggest otherwise.
In Devon, i found little reason for concern. It was perfect weather for a day on the beach. But beneath the sunny clear skies, the normally bustling beaches at Blackpool Sands near Dartmouth and the holiday town of Exmouth in east Devon were untrodden, and the calm seas untroubled by boats or brave swimmers. The beach desertion – despite the 20°C temperature – followed warnings that the military’s marine fleet would be patrolling the coastline and police would be ordering tourists to return home if they were caught travelling to holiday spots.
A sunny and warm Good Friday would normally have been one of the busiest weekends of the year for ice cream sellers in Exmouth. This year, shutters were down at beachside shops, and the sands were, apart from a few dog walkers getting their daily allowance of exercise, empty as local residents and tourists stayed inside. One Devon and Cornwall Police officer said: “The message really does appear to have got through.”
This weekend, things seem to have changed. On Friday, while by no means full, it was clear some locals, almost seven weeks after we were all told to stay at home, were going to enjoy themselves whatever they thought they had been told in the past few days. – David Parsely
Thursday, 16 April – Captain Tom completes 100 laps of his garden
Just 18 months ago, Captain Tom Moore lay in an NHS bed fighting for his life. His daughter, Hannah Ingram-Moore, gathered the family by his side to say goodbye, she told i last month.
But thanks to what his daughter describes as the “extraordinary” help of NHS doctors and nurses, he defied the odds and managed to pull through.
Still, when the family found a treadmill on the driveway with a note addressing it to their now 99-year-old father, they thought there had been some kind of mistake. Unknown to his family, he had purchased the machine online in an attempt to keep himself active during the winter. They joked he was in training for the next marathon.
But the joke soon took root – hatching a plan for him to walk 100 laps of their garden by his 100th birthday in the hope of raising £1,000 for the NHS. The rest, as they say, is history.
In the final weeks before his 100th birthday, Captain Tom raised almost £30m for the NHS, had a number one single, been lauded by royalty and enjoyed such global media attention you would think he’s a pop star. In the midst of a pandemic that has affected so many of the world’s older people, the stoic veteran proved there is always time to add a new chapter. – Benjamin Butterworth
Tuesday, 28 April – Domestic Abuse Bill returns to Parliament
The coronavirus lockdown has resulted in people losing their lives to more than just the disease. Deaths during lockdown are three times higher than last year, with at least 14 women and 2 children dying at the hands of a violent partner or ex-partner since the stay-at-home restrictions began on 23 March.
Since the first mention of lockdown, women’s refuges and domestic violence charities have called on the government to create an emergency policy that entitles victims to safe refuge, regardless of their income or complex needs. To date, it has decided to retable the Domestic Violence Bill after a three-year delay, accompanied by small, sporadic sums of money, including a £3m fund for children affected by violence during the crisis.
This failure suggests the Government has failed to understand the immediacy and enormity of this crisis. One hundred days on, innocent people are trapped for an indeterminate amount of time with their abuser, simply because there are no safe places to stay. – Jasmine Andersson
Wednesday, 6 May – The promise of changes to lockdown measures
At PMQs, Boris Johnson said he would be updating the country on Sunday about new measures that would be in place the following day. But just a day later at the Downing Street press briefing, Dominic Raab was keen to dampen expectations.
He said there was no immediate changes to the guidance, meaning the same rules would be in place for the weekend and people should still abide by the lockdown measures. When asked about the confusing messaging coming from the Government, he said ministers were guided by updated evidence from SAGE – the scientific advisers – and there would be additional evidence emerging.
Despite days of hopeful headlines, the press conference on Sunday is now expected to reveal no significant easing of lockdown – though there may be some minor changes – and a further extension of three weeks. While Italy’s post-lockdown restrictions in are only a little less strict that the UK’s more relaxed actual lockdown, by the end of that period, the UK will have been in lockdown for 67 days – ten days longer than the country the UK once hoped to avoid emulating.


inews--2020-05-09--Roy Horn: Siegfried & Roy magician dies aged 75 from coronavirus complications

Siegfried Fischbacher said : 'Today , the world has lost one of the greats of magic , but I have lost my best friend' Magician Roy Horn , best known as part of the Las Vegas performing duo Siegfried & Roy , has died at the age of 75 after contracting coronavirus .
Horn tested positive for Covid-19 in April and was said to be `` responding well to treatment '' .
However , a representative announced he had died on Friday from complications of the virus .
Horn and Siegfried Fischbacher were world renowned for their Las Vegas shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have lost my best friend' In a statement , Fischbacher said : `` Today , the world has lost one of the greats of magic , but I have lost my best friend .
`` From the moment we met , I knew Roy and I , together , would change the world .
There could be no Siegfried without Roy , and no Roy without Siegfried .
`` Roy was a fighter his whole life including during these final days .
I give my heartfelt appreciation to the team of doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hospital who worked heroically against this insidious virus that ultimately took Roy 's life . ''
The German pair launched their popular Vegas show at the Mirage in 1990 , performing elaborate tricks alongside animals .
For years it was regarded as the most visited show in the city .
The attack severed his spine , caused severe blood loss and inflicted several critical injuries , permanently affecting his ability to move , walk and speak .
Horn was born in Nordenham , Germany in October 1944 , in the midst of Second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in animals at a young age , and had access to exotic animals such as tigers from the age of 10 , through his mother 's friend 's husband Emil , who was the founder of the Bremen Zoo .

Magician Roy Horn, best known as part of the Las Vegas performing duo Siegfried & Roy, has died at the age of 75 after contracting coronavirus.
Horn tested positive for Covid-19 in April and was said to be “responding well to treatment”.
However, a representative announced he had died on Friday from complications of the virus.
Horn and Siegfried Fischbacher were world renowned for their Las Vegas shows involving white lions and tigers.
‘I have lost my best friend’
In a statement, Fischbacher said: “Today, the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend.
“From the moment we met, I knew Roy and I, together, would change the world. There could be no Siegfried without Roy, and no Roy without Siegfried.
“Roy was a fighter his whole life including during these final days. I give my heartfelt appreciation to the team of doctors, nurses and staff at Mountain View Hospital who worked heroically against this insidious virus that ultimately took Roy’s life.”
The German pair launched their popular Vegas show at the Mirage in 1990, performing elaborate tricks alongside animals.
For years it was regarded as the most visited show in the city.
Mauled by tiger
Their act unravelled in October 2003 when a tiger named Mantecore mauled Horn during a live performance.
The attack severed his spine, caused severe blood loss and inflicted several critical injuries, permanently affecting his ability to move, walk and speak.
Horn was born in Nordenham, Germany in October 1944, in the midst of Second World War bombings.
He became interested in animals at a young age, and had access to exotic animals such as tigers from the age of 10, through his mother’s friend’s husband Emil, who was the founder of the Bremen Zoo.
He met Fischbacher in Bremer while working as a waiter, launching his performance career.


inews--2020-05-09--When is UFC 249? Date, time in the UK, venue, fight card and how to watch the action

When is UFC 249 ?
Date , time in the UK , venue , fight card and how to watch the action After a cancellation , a postponement and a private island , one of UFC ’ s biggest cards of the year is going ahead .
UFC 249 was on .
Then it was off again .
Then it was on again but no one quite knew where .
Then we knew where , but not when .
But now , we have an event , a venue and a card .
The initial UFC 249 venue , New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March when the city ’ s governor issued an order restricting sporting events due to the Covid-19 outbreak .
UFC commissioner Dana White initially tried to relocate the event with a number of places considered .
Las Vegas was the first port of call but as the extent of the coronavirus spread grew , more venues and states started to close their doors .
White even considered using a native American reservation , since they lie outside the jurisdiction of state athletic bodies , or renting a private island on which to hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postponement by three weeks , the event will be held in Jacksonville , Florida , at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena , which usually has a capacity of 15,000 but will have no fans present .
The original date of 18 April eventually became unworkable but White only called off with a week to go , promising to run the event at some point .
Now the card will take place on Saturday 6 May with the action due to kick off at 8pm local time and the main event expected around midnight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean the prelims start at 1am on Sunday morning and the main event at 5am .
Early prelims will start from 11.30pm .
In the US , the card will be shown by ESPN .
In the UK , UFC ’ s rights-holders are BT who will be showing the event live on BT Sport 1 from 1am on Sunday morning to include the prelims and the main card , with coverage due to finish at 7.30am .
Fans wanting to watch the early prelims will need to sign up to the UFC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

UFC 249 was on. Then it was off again. Then it was on again but no one quite knew where. Then we knew where, but not when. But now, we have an event, a venue and a card.
The initial UFC 249 venue, New York, became untenable way back in March when the city’s governor issued an order restricting sporting events due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
UFC commissioner Dana White initially tried to relocate the event with a number of places considered. Las Vegas was the first port of call but as the extent of the coronavirus spread grew, more venues and states started to close their doors. White even considered using a native American reservation, since they lie outside the jurisdiction of state athletic bodies, or renting a private island on which to hold the event.
However, after a postponement by three weeks, the event will be held in Jacksonville, Florida, at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, which usually has a capacity of 15,000 but will have no fans present.
When is UFC 249?
The original date of 18 April eventually became unworkable but White only called off with a week to go, promising to run the event at some point.
Now the card will take place on Saturday 6 May with the action due to kick off at 8pm local time and the main event expected around midnight.
For UK fans, that will mean the prelims start at 1am on Sunday morning and the main event at 5am. Early prelims will start from 11.30pm.
TV details
In the US, the card will be shown by ESPN. In the UK, UFC’s rights-holders are BT who will be showing the event live on BT Sport 1 from 1am on Sunday morning to include the prelims and the main card, with coverage due to finish at 7.30am.
Fans wanting to watch the early prelims will need to sign up to the UFC Fight Pass package from £6.99 per month.
Fight card
Main card
Tony Ferguson vs Justin Gaethje (interim lightweight title bout)
Henry Cejudo vs Dominick Cruz (bantamweight title bout)
Francis Ngannou vs Jairzinho Rozenstruik (heavyweight bout)
Jeremy Stephens vs Calvin Kattar (featherweight bout)
Greg Hardy vs Yorgan De Castro (heavyweight bout)
Prelims
Anthony Pettis vs Donald Cerrone (welterweight bout)
Alksei Aleinik vs Fabricio Werdum (heavweight bout)
Carla Esparza vs Michelle Waterson (strawweight bout)
Uriah Hall vs Ronaldo Souza (middleweight bout)
Early prelims