buzzfeed--2020-04-11--This Disabled Mother Said That The Coronavirus Outbreak Is Making Her Overcrowded Flat Unbearable

“ In the house , we feel like we 're in a prison — trust me , suffocation , ” Rekha Begum , who lives in Tower Hamlets , east London , tells BuzzFeed News .
Two years ago , Begum had what was initially thought to be a stroke , but was then diagnosed with a neurological functional disorder , which has left her needing help with personal care .
She also has mental health problems , which she said her living situation is exacerbating .
Begam , a disabled mother of four , is stuck with her family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20-year-old daughter , who works as a professional carer as well as providing personal care for Begum , doesn ’ t even have a bed and sleeps on the sofa , while Begum sleeps in a bed with her 6-year-old , youngest son .
She has two other sons , an 18-year-old , who also has some health problems , and a 14-year-old , who share the second bedroom .
A report out this week from the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre ( ICNARC ) suggested that ethnic minority groups are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , and one Tower Hamlets councillor has told BuzzFeed News that the Coronavirus pandemic is drawing attention to existing inequalities .
Rabina Khan , a Liberal Democrat councillor , said she can see the “ impact on the ground of high infection rates amongst the BAME community who are already struggling on the breadline , overcrowded households , poor health , [ and ] to bury their loved ones.
” In Tower Hamlets , where Begam lives , overcrowding has historically been a problem and it remains so .
A recent strategic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reducing overcrowding is a main aim of the council 's housing service ” , which a research briefing from the local authority in 2018 said that “ 37 per cent of households on the housing waiting list are living in over-crowded.
” Begam ’ s daughter goes out to work and , alongside paid carers , provides care for her elderly mother who lives two blocks away .
The children clean the flat twice a day to try to prevent the spread of infection — but she says their situation is incredibly difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay indoors , ” she said .
“ Our house is [ a ] more unsafe place actually , more than outside , because in the house , me and my children [ are ] living in a… very tiny two-bedroom flat .
We can smell each other ’ s breath .
“ My children are trying to disinfect the house every day , twice… The toilet is very tiny , the bathroom is very tiny , and the bin has been [ left ] outside of my [ front ] door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” She also worries about the impact her situation has on her children , who see her suffering as the coronavirus makes their already difficult living situation much harder .
“ I was a working mother all these years and I 've been looking after my children , ” she said .
“ We were in overcrowded [ accommodation ] all the time , but I wasn ’ t that unwell [ for ] my children to get stressed , because we were quite happy that time , but now like they 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is like it 's like a cage , an animal cage.
” She added : “ When I was working , I spent about two grand on my house ...
I bought new furniture , I painted the house , everything because I do n't like living in dirty and messy place .
“ But in 2018 when I had a stroke and they actually first thought stroke , another diagnosis if they neurological functional disorder , and after since then , I ’ ve been having one problem and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how painful my life is.
” With her younger children no longer attending school , the family are trapped inside the two-bedroom apartment for most of the time .
“ My 14-year-old is very big , ” she said .
“ His shoe size is 14 , he wears 4XL clothes , he ’ s 6-foot-3 .
He sleeps in the single bed because the room is tiny ...
Sometimes [ in the ] middle of the night , he falls from the bed… In the middle of the night , they start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is giving me so much anxiety , ” she added , “ and I 'm getting suffocated just like I 'm inside the water… .
I 'm [ an ] OCD person for me it 's like hell.
” Khan told BuzzFeed News that the coronavirus pandemic had highlighted existing inequalities between different communities .
She said : “ Following the research indicating that BAME communities are being disproportionately affected by coronavirus , the government needs to think about how it addresses this as a matter of urgency .
`` The government should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which should be cross-party and include community leaders and the BAME voluntary sector community .
`` I see for myself the devastating impact on the ground of high infection rates amongst the BAME community who are already struggling on the breadline , overcrowded households , poor health , [ and ] to bury their loved ones .
`` This pandemic is evidence of the greatest divide of health inequality locally , nationally and globally.
” A spokesperson for Tower Hamlets Council said : “ Like many inner-city areas in the UK , Tower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We are committed to increasing significantly the number of new council homes but we recognise that many of our residents will still face a housing challenge .
Many , including Ms Begum , live in overcrowded homes and we understand why , in the context of the coronavirus pandemic , that becomes even more of an issue .
“ The council has been working with Ms Begum for some time in an effort to identify a larger and more suitable home .
In 2013 she refused an offer on a three-bedroom property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a home which would have helped to relieve the overcrowding , but that offer was also refused.
” The spokesperson added : “ We operate a choice-based lettings system which means people looking to be rehoused need to express an interest in properties as they become available .
In Ms Begum ’ s case , she is in the highest priority group for rehousing but she has not submitted many bids for suitable properties — only four since September 2018 .
We understand this is because she only wishes to be rehoused in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be close to family .
“ Our officers will continue to work with Ms Begum but she will also need to be flexible and understand that with larger homes in short supply , the best offer may be one that requires a degree of compromise.
” Begum disputed the council 's statement , saying that she had not been offered a property in 2013 , and that her daughter had not received the correspondence offering her a flat .
She said that the number of properties she was able to bid on was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need for disabled access , adding that few suitable homes in the area had come available .
She said : `` They did n't offer me the house , I was the second person to view the house and I did n't receive any offer or anything , and my daughter did n't receive a letter to offer her the house . ''

“In the house, we feel like we're in a prison — trust me, suffocation,” Rekha Begum, who lives in Tower Hamlets, east London, tells BuzzFeed News.
Two years ago, Begum had what was initially thought to be a stroke, but was then diagnosed with a neurological functional disorder, which has left her needing help with personal care. She also has mental health problems, which she said her living situation is exacerbating.
Begam, a disabled mother of four, is stuck with her family inside an overcrowded two-bedroom flat. Her 20-year-old daughter, who works as a professional carer as well as providing personal care for Begum, doesn’t even have a bed and sleeps on the sofa, while Begum sleeps in a bed with her 6-year-old, youngest son. She has two other sons, an 18-year-old, who also has some health problems, and a 14-year-old, who share the second bedroom.
A report out this week from the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre (ICNARC) suggested that ethnic minority groups are already being impacted more by the novel coronavirus, and one Tower Hamlets councillor has told BuzzFeed News that the Coronavirus pandemic is drawing attention to existing inequalities.
Rabina Khan, a Liberal Democrat councillor, said she can see the “impact on the ground of high infection rates amongst the BAME community who are already struggling on the breadline, overcrowded households, poor health, [and] to bury their loved ones.”
In Tower Hamlets, where Begam lives, overcrowding has historically been a problem and it remains so. A recent strategic report from the council said that “reducing overcrowding is a main aim of the council's housing service”, which a research briefing from the local authority in 2018 said that “37 per cent of households on the housing waiting list are living in over-crowded.”
Begam’s daughter goes out to work and, alongside paid carers, provides care for her elderly mother who lives two blocks away. The children clean the flat twice a day to try to prevent the spread of infection — but she says their situation is incredibly difficult.
“The government say we have to stay indoors,” she said. “Our house is [a] more unsafe place actually, more than outside, because in the house, me and my children [are] living in a… very tiny two-bedroom flat. We can smell each other’s breath.
“My children are trying to disinfect the house every day, twice… The toilet is very tiny, the bathroom is very tiny, and the bin has been [left] outside of my [front] door, the smells come into my house.”
She also worries about the impact her situation has on her children, who see her suffering as the coronavirus makes their already difficult living situation much harder.
“I was a working mother all these years and I've been looking after my children,” she said. “We were in overcrowded [accommodation] all the time, but I wasn’t that unwell [for] my children to get stressed, because we were quite happy that time, but now like they're seeing me suffering mentally in the house, it is like it's like a cage, an animal cage.”
She added: “When I was working, I spent about two grand on my house... I bought new furniture, I painted the house, everything because I don't like living in dirty and messy place.
“But in 2018 when I had a stroke and they actually first thought stroke, another diagnosis if they neurological functional disorder, and after since then, I’ve been having one problem and then another… It is very difficult to explain how painful my life is.”
With her younger children no longer attending school, the family are trapped inside the two-bedroom apartment for most of the time.
“My 14-year-old is very big,” she said. “His shoe size is 14, he wears 4XL clothes, he’s 6-foot-3. He sleeps in the single bed because the room is tiny... Sometimes [in the] middle of the night, he falls from the bed… In the middle of the night, they start fighting over snoring.”
“The house is giving me so much anxiety,” she added, “and I'm getting suffocated just like I'm inside the water…. I'm [an] OCD person for me it's like hell.”
Khan told BuzzFeed News that the coronavirus pandemic had highlighted existing inequalities between different communities.
She said: “Following the research indicating that BAME communities are being disproportionately affected by coronavirus, the government needs to think about how it addresses this as a matter of urgency.
"The government should create a BAME Community Coronavirus Strategic Group which should be cross-party and include community leaders and the BAME voluntary sector community.
"I see for myself the devastating impact on the ground of high infection rates amongst the BAME community who are already struggling on the breadline, overcrowded households, poor health, [and] to bury their loved ones.
"This pandemic is evidence of the greatest divide of health inequality locally, nationally and globally.”
A spokesperson for Tower Hamlets Council said: “Like many inner-city areas in the UK, Tower Hamlets is dealing with a housing crisis. We are committed to increasing significantly the number of new council homes but we recognise that many of our residents will still face a housing challenge. Many, including Ms Begum, live in overcrowded homes and we understand why, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, that becomes even more of an issue.
“The council has been working with Ms Begum for some time in an effort to identify a larger and more suitable home. In 2013 she refused an offer on a three-bedroom property. Her daughter has also been offered a home which would have helped to relieve the overcrowding, but that offer was also refused.”
The spokesperson added: “We operate a choice-based lettings system which means people looking to be rehoused need to express an interest in properties as they become available. In Ms Begum’s case, she is in the highest priority group for rehousing but she has not submitted many bids for suitable properties — only four since September 2018. We understand this is because she only wishes to be rehoused in a specific part of the borough to be close to family.
“Our officers will continue to work with Ms Begum but she will also need to be flexible and understand that with larger homes in short supply, the best offer may be one that requires a degree of compromise.”
Begum disputed the council's statement, saying that she had not been offered a property in 2013, and that her daughter had not received the correspondence offering her a flat.
She said that the number of properties she was able to bid on was limited by her circumstances, including a need for disabled access, adding that few suitable homes in the area had come available.
She said: "They didn't offer me the house, I was the second person to view the house and I didn't receive any offer or anything, and my daughter didn't receive a letter to offer her the house."


buzzfeed--2020-04-11--As Boris Johnson Recovers In Hospital, His Government Is Facing Mounting Problems On Political, Heal

As Boris Johnson Recovers In Hospital, His Government Is Facing Mounting Problems On Political, Health, And Economic Fronts

But the dysfunction goes beyond the enforced benching of the government ’ s two most powerful players .
As the UK seeks to present a united approach in tackling the coronavirus crisis , insiders said that the Vote Leave faction of political aides in Number 10 , led by Cummings , was at war with Sedwill and other senior civil servants .
The fallout blew up as Johnson ’ s allies blamed — both in private and in briefings to the media — the civil service for its lack of preparation for the pandemic .
In the early stages of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cummings and some Number 10 political aides saw the issue chiefly as one for officials and public health experts to get on top of , multiple sources said .
That didn ’ t happen , they believed , and this exacerbated what they saw as a failure by the Department of Health and Public Health England over several years to prepare for a pandemic , leaving the UK to start from a significantly lower base than other countries like Germany on issues such as testing and ventilators .
But officials across Whitehall accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking the virus seriously until the last few weeks and of providing a lack of leadership on what was the main issue facing the country .
A minister told BuzzFeed News : “ There have been many competing command structures .
Number 10 , government departments , especially DHSC , NHS national-level leadership , NHS trusts , Public Health England and groups of academic experts inside government .
They are not integrated clearly , there is no real sense of who is in charge , they each have their own interests , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I would be surprised to see Public Health England continue in its current form after this.
” The political-civil service divide worsened two weeks ago , insiders said , when Sedwill attempted to “ restructure ” the government ’ s coronavirus response by putting senior officials in charge of a centralised team responsible for day-to-day management of the crisis .
This “ power grab ” resulted in political advisers being “ frozen out ” of key decisions , one source claimed , adding that trust was at an “ all-time low ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prime minister while Johnson is in hospital has not yet cleared things up .
While the foreign secretary has won praise internally for stepping up in extremely difficult circumstances , it remains unclear whether he is formally in charge , as aides and officials continued to squabble , insiders said , while senior officials used the situation to further expand their own influence .
There have been calls to formalise Raab ’ s position while the prime minister is on the mend .
Conservative MPs are also beginning to worry that Johnson ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the window and that the civil service will use the coronavirus to curb Cummings ’ dream of imprinting his worldview on British public life for a generation .
“ The post-election policy agenda on which we won such a huge mandate could now be ruined .
What can be saved is an unresolved question , ” an MP said , raising the question of whether senior aides would want to stick around , should the pandemic dominate the next two years of UK politics and shift public opinion towards greater state intervention in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministers and departmental aides not on the frontline coronavirus fight have found themselves with nothing to do as their briefs were removed from the agenda .
One Whitehall insider said they thought the relationship between Downing Street and the civil service was beyond repair : “ Number 10 advisers think the civil service are a bunch of wets who failed to prepare and got us into the worst crisis since World War II .
The civil service thinks Number 10 advisers are a load of idiots and lunatics who shouldn ’ t be @ @ @ @ @

But the dysfunction goes beyond the enforced benching of the government’s two most powerful players. As the UK seeks to present a united approach in tackling the coronavirus crisis, insiders said that the Vote Leave faction of political aides in Number 10, led by Cummings, was at war with Sedwill and other senior civil servants. The fallout blew up as Johnson’s allies blamed — both in private and in briefings to the media — the civil service for its lack of preparation for the pandemic.
In the early stages of the outbreak in January and February, Cummings and some Number 10 political aides saw the issue chiefly as one for officials and public health experts to get on top of, multiple sources said. That didn’t happen, they believed, and this exacerbated what they saw as a failure by the Department of Health and Public Health England over several years to prepare for a pandemic, leaving the UK to start from a significantly lower base than other countries like Germany on issues such as testing and ventilators.
But officials across Whitehall accused Johnson’s political team of not taking the virus seriously until the last few weeks and of providing a lack of leadership on what was the main issue facing the country.
A minister told BuzzFeed News: “There have been many competing command structures. Number 10, government departments, especially DHSC, NHS national-level leadership, NHS trusts, Public Health England and groups of academic experts inside government. They are not integrated clearly, there is no real sense of who is in charge, they each have their own interests, and they have spent weeks contradicting each other. I would be surprised to see Public Health England continue in its current form after this.”
The political-civil service divide worsened two weeks ago, insiders said, when Sedwill attempted to “restructure” the government’s coronavirus response by putting senior officials in charge of a centralised team responsible for day-to-day management of the crisis. This “power grab” resulted in political advisers being “frozen out” of key decisions, one source claimed, adding that trust was at an “all-time low”.
Raab’s accession to acting prime minister while Johnson is in hospital has not yet cleared things up. While the foreign secretary has won praise internally for stepping up in extremely difficult circumstances, it remains unclear whether he is formally in charge, as aides and officials continued to squabble, insiders said, while senior officials used the situation to further expand their own influence. There have been calls to formalise Raab’s position while the prime minister is on the mend.
Conservative MPs are also beginning to worry that Johnson’s election-winning agenda is now out of the window and that the civil service will use the coronavirus to curb Cummings’ dream of imprinting his worldview on British public life for a generation.
“The post-election policy agenda on which we won such a huge mandate could now be ruined. What can be saved is an unresolved question,” an MP said, raising the question of whether senior aides would want to stick around, should the pandemic dominate the next two years of UK politics and shift public opinion towards greater state intervention in the economy. They also said that ministers and departmental aides not on the frontline coronavirus fight have found themselves with nothing to do as their briefs were removed from the agenda.
One Whitehall insider said they thought the relationship between Downing Street and the civil service was beyond repair: “Number 10 advisers think the civil service are a bunch of wets who failed to prepare and got us into the worst crisis since World War II. The civil service thinks Number 10 advisers are a load of idiots and lunatics who shouldn’t be anywhere near power.”


buzzfeed--2020-03-16--Actually, The Big Brother Australia Contestants DO Know About The Coronavirus

Let me clear up one very important thing : the contestants in the new season of Big Brother Australia DO know about the coronavirus outbreak .
On Monday , the Australian 's Media Diary reported this : `` Diary hears housemates were locked in the BB house three weeks ago without as much as access to a mobile phone , making them blissfully unaware of society ’ s recent madness . ''
The story was picked up by several websites including the Daily Mail and Pedestrian , who declared the contestants had `` no idea '' about the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ told BuzzFeed News that is n't the case .
`` Housemates have been brought across the current situation and we are in constant contact with the families to keep all involved up to date , '' a spokesperson for production company Endemol Shine Australia said in an emailed statement .
The housemates are already socially distanced from the world , if not from each other , in a house in Sydney 's North Head .
BuzzFeed News asked the company when exactly the housemates were told about the pandemic — crucially , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Australian ?
— but has not yet received a response .
Just how much the contestants know ( Infection rates ?
Flattening the curve ?
Social distancing ?
Pandemic status ? )
is also unclear .
The first Australian cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , were reported in January 2020 , well before the contestants entered the house , so it 's safe to assume that they already knew there was a virus , but not necessarily how urgent the outbreak has become .
The first Australian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occur until March 1 .
The World Health Organization declared the virus a pandemic last week , in the early hours of March 12 .
Endemol Shine Australia said that it takes its contestants ' health `` extremely seriously '' and is working in line with current guidelines while pushing ahead with production .
This season is the first to be pre-recorded , so we should all be able to watch as the housemates learn about the spread of COVID-19 if it goes to air as planned later this year .
The new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and is set to air on Channel 7 .

Let me clear up one very important thing: the contestants in the new season of Big Brother Australia DO know about the coronavirus outbreak.
On Monday, the Australian's Media Diary reported this: "Diary hears housemates were locked in the BB house three weeks ago without as much as access to a mobile phone, making them blissfully unaware of society’s recent madness."
The story was picked up by several websites including the Daily Mail and Pedestrian, who declared the contestants had "no idea" about the coronavirus.
But the production company behind the reboot told BuzzFeed News that isn't the case.
"Housemates have been brought across the current situation and we are in constant contact with the families to keep all involved up to date," a spokesperson for production company Endemol Shine Australia said in an emailed statement.
The housemates are already socially distanced from the world, if not from each other, in a house in Sydney's North Head.
BuzzFeed News asked the company when exactly the housemates were told about the pandemic — crucially, was it before or after the story in the Australian? — but has not yet received a response.
Just how much the contestants know (Infection rates? Flattening the curve? Social distancing? Pandemic status?) is also unclear.
The first Australian cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, were reported in January 2020, well before the contestants entered the house, so it's safe to assume that they already knew there was a virus, but not necessarily how urgent the outbreak has become.
The first Australian death caused by the disease did not occur until March 1. The World Health Organization declared the virus a pandemic last week, in the early hours of March 12.
Endemol Shine Australia said that it takes its contestants' health "extremely seriously" and is working in line with current guidelines while pushing ahead with production.
This season is the first to be pre-recorded, so we should all be able to watch as the housemates learn about the spread of COVID-19 if it goes to air as planned later this year.
The new season will be hosted by Sonia Kruger, and is set to air on Channel 7.


buzzfeed--2020-03-16--Boris Johnson Says Everyone In The UK Must Now Avoid Unnecessary Social Contact With Other People

Everyone in the UK should now stop `` nonessential contact '' with other people and avoid pubs , clubs , cinemas , and theatres to slow the spread of the coronavirus , prime minister Boris Johnson has announced .
The prime minister declared a major shift in the UK 's response to the pandemic as he said the country was approaching the `` fast-growth phase '' of the curve and cases could double every five days .
Families have also been urged to stay at home together for 14 days if any member is showing symptoms of the virus — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fever .
Johnson said that anyone in isolation should avoid leaving the house `` even to buy food or essentials '' and should exercise outside the house only at a safe distance from others .
`` If necessary , you should ask for help from others for your daily necessities .
And if that is not possible , then you should do what you can to limit your social contact when you leave the house to get supplies , '' he said .
The prime minister also said people should work from home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
He said the coronavirus crisis was particularly bad in London , which was several weeks ahead of the rest of the country .
The government will no longer support mass gatherings — but the PM stopped short of announcing school closures .
He is facing growing pressure from parents and teachers to close down schools , but he said it was not yet the right time .
`` There has been an argument about school closures , '' Johnson said .
`` We think at the moment on balance it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open , for all sorts of reasons . ''
He said the matter would be kept under review .
The government 's chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance said school closures could be introduced in the coming weeks .
Parliament is also continuing to operate — but following the press conference , the Liberal Democrats told all staff , including members of Parliament , to work from home .
Johnson also announced that people aged over 70 or with an underlying health condition should take even greater precautions .
Pregnant women are also now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not enough is known about how they are affected by the virus .
Within days , people in these groups will be asked to stay at home .
He said the government 's intention is that those most at risk will be `` largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks . ''
The tough new measures on social contact are not being enforced with legislation at this stage ; Johnson said it was `` very strong advice '' and he did not envisage that enforcing the powers would be necessary .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK was not testing more people for the coronavirus , as the World Health Organisation has recommended .
Chief medical officer Chris Whitty said the UK did intend to `` scale up testing '' and over 44,000 tests had been completed so far , with 42,000 negative .
He said tests were carried out in three areas : those in intensive care units , on patients with pneumonia in hospital , and by the GP network in the community .
He said the next step was to make sure NHS workers could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ check if they have the disease ; if they do n't they can go back to work .
`` If they have got it , at least you know they 've got it and they 're not going to get it again . ''
In a statement to Parliament after the press conference , health secretary Matt Hancock told MPs that 53 people have now died from the virus in the UK — a rise of 18 on the previous 24 hours .
MPs quizzed the health secretary on what would be done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures and urged the government to take urgent action to support those who would suffer losses as a result .

Everyone in the UK should now stop "nonessential contact" with other people and avoid pubs, clubs, cinemas, and theatres to slow the spread of the coronavirus, prime minister Boris Johnson has announced.
The prime minister declared a major shift in the UK's response to the pandemic as he said the country was approaching the "fast-growth phase" of the curve and cases could double every five days.
Families have also been urged to stay at home together for 14 days if any member is showing symptoms of the virus — a new, continuous cough or a fever.
Johnson said that anyone in isolation should avoid leaving the house "even to buy food or essentials" and should exercise outside the house only at a safe distance from others.
"If necessary, you should ask for help from others for your daily necessities. And if that is not possible, then you should do what you can to limit your social contact when you leave the house to get supplies," he said.
The prime minister also said people should work from home where possible and avoid "nonessential travel". He said the coronavirus crisis was particularly bad in London, which was several weeks ahead of the rest of the country.
The government will no longer support mass gatherings — but the PM stopped short of announcing school closures. He is facing growing pressure from parents and teachers to close down schools, but he said it was not yet the right time.
"There has been an argument about school closures," Johnson said. "We think at the moment on balance it's much better if we can keep schools open, for all sorts of reasons." He said the matter would be kept under review.
The government's chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance said school closures could be introduced in the coming weeks.
Parliament is also continuing to operate — but following the press conference, the Liberal Democrats told all staff, including members of Parliament, to work from home.
Johnson also announced that people aged over 70 or with an underlying health condition should take even greater precautions. Pregnant women are also now being included in this category, because not enough is known about how they are affected by the virus.
Within days, people in these groups will be asked to stay at home. He said the government's intention is that those most at risk will be "largely shielded from social contact for around 12 weeks."
The tough new measures on social contact are not being enforced with legislation at this stage; Johnson said it was "very strong advice" and he did not envisage that enforcing the powers would be necessary.
The PM faced questions on why the UK was not testing more people for the coronavirus, as the World Health Organisation has recommended.
Chief medical officer Chris Whitty said the UK did intend to "scale up testing" and over 44,000 tests had been completed so far, with 42,000 negative. He said tests were carried out in three areas: those in intensive care units, on patients with pneumonia in hospital, and by the GP network in the community.
He said the next step was to make sure NHS workers could be tested "very early on" to check if they have the disease; if they don't they can go back to work. "If they have got it, at least you know they've got it and they're not going to get it again."
In a statement to Parliament after the press conference, health secretary Matt Hancock told MPs that 53 people have now died from the virus in the UK — a rise of 18 on the previous 24 hours.
MPs quizzed the health secretary on what would be done to mitigate the economic consequences of the measures and urged the government to take urgent action to support those who would suffer losses as a result.


buzzfeed--2020-03-16--The UK Only Realised "In The Last Few Days" That Its Coronavirus Strategy Would "Likely Result In Hu

The UK Only Realised "In The Last Few Days" That Its Coronavirus Strategy Would "Likely Result In Hundreds of Thousands of Deaths"

The UK only realised `` in the last few days '' that attempts to `` mitigate '' the impact of the coronavirus pandemic would not work , and that it needed to shift to a strategy to `` suppress '' the outbreak , according to a report by a team of experts who have been advising the government .
The report , published by the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team on Monday night , found that the strategy previously being pursued by the government — dubbed `` mitigation '' and involving home isolation of suspect cases and their family members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — would `` likely result in hundreds of thousands of deaths and health systems ( most notably intensive care units ) being overwhelmed many times over '' .
The mitigation strategy `` focuses on slowing but not necessarily stopping epidemic spread — reducing peak healthcare demand while protecting those most at risk of severe disease from infection '' , the report said , reflecting the UK strategy that was outlined last week by Boris Johnson and the chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance .
But the approach was found to be unworkable .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unlikely to be feasible without emergency surge capacity limits of the UK and US healthcare systems being exceeded many times over , '' perhaps by as much as eight times , the report said .
In this scenario , the Imperial College team predicted as many as 250,000 deaths in Britain .
`` In the UK , this conclusion has only been reached in the last few days , '' the report explained , due to new data on likely intensive care unit demand based on the experience of Italy and Britain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herd immunity to build .
We now realise it ’ s not possible to cope with that , '' professor Azra Ghani , chair of infectious diseases epidemiology at Imperial , told journalists at a briefing on Monday night .

The UK only realised "in the last few days" that attempts to "mitigate" the impact of the coronavirus pandemic would not work, and that it needed to shift to a strategy to "suppress" the outbreak, according to a report by a team of experts who have been advising the government.
The report, published by the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team on Monday night, found that the strategy previously being pursued by the government — dubbed "mitigation" and involving home isolation of suspect cases and their family members but not including restrictions on wider society — would "likely result in hundreds of thousands of deaths and health systems (most notably intensive care units) being overwhelmed many times over".
The mitigation strategy "focuses on slowing but not necessarily stopping epidemic spread — reducing peak healthcare demand while protecting those most at risk of severe disease from infection", the report said, reflecting the UK strategy that was outlined last week by Boris Johnson and the chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance.
But the approach was found to be unworkable. "Our most significant conclusion is that mitigation is unlikely to be feasible without emergency surge capacity limits of the UK and US healthcare systems being exceeded many times over," perhaps by as much as eight times, the report said.
In this scenario, the Imperial College team predicted as many as 250,000 deaths in Britain.
"In the UK, this conclusion has only been reached in the last few days," the report explained, due to new data on likely intensive care unit demand based on the experience of Italy and Britain so far.
"We were expecting herd immunity to build. We now realise it’s not possible to cope with that," professor Azra Ghani, chair of infectious diseases epidemiology at Imperial, told journalists at a briefing on Monday night.


buzzfeed--2020-03-16--Idris Elba Revealed He Has Tested Positive For Coronavirus

This morning I tested positive for Covid 19 .
I feel ok , I have no symptoms so far but @ @ @ @ @ found out about my possible exposure to the virus .
Stay home people and be @ @ @ @ @ you updated on how I ’ m doing 👊🏾👊🏾 No panic .

This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how I’m doing 👊🏾👊🏾 No panic.


buzzfeed--2020-05-02--UK Scientists Are Urgently Investigating The Link Between Obesity And The Coronavirus

UK government scientists are urgently investigating whether people living with obesity may be disproportionately affected by the coronavirus , after emerging data from intensive care units suggested a stronger link than previously thought , BuzzFeed News can reveal .
Senior ministers have privately raised fears that Britain ’ s obesity rate , which is higher than most other developed countries , could be a factor in its comparatively higher death toll .
Current NHS advice states that people who are very obese — with a body mass index ( BMI ) of 40 or above — “ may be at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are not in the “ very high risk ” category that requires “ shielding ” at home at all times .
Government experts on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies ( SAGE ) are studying whether obesity and severe obesity may lead to worse outcomes for patients than anticipated , multiple sources familiar with the group ’ s work said .
New data from the UK ’ s Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre , which has been presented to ministers and SAGE scientists , has found that the proportion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the proportion of severely obese people in the general population .
The Department of Health and Public Health England confirmed to BuzzFeed News that the UK was conducting research on whether there was a causal link between obesity and COVID-19 , or whether other comorbidities often found in severely obese people are resulting in increased mortality .
Data and studies from the UK , the US , China , and other European nations have shown there is a strong association between obesity and the coronavirus , sources familiar with the British government ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned that it was too early to say if there was a causal link with obesity itself , or a correlation that could be explained by other co-morbidities .
The scientists have cautioned that more research is needed before any definitive conclusions can be established .
Discussions have taken place between British scientists and the World Health Organisation about cooperating on further research on possible interactions between obesity and COVID-19 , BuzzFeed News has been told .
Ministers have become increasingly alarmed by data coming out of Britain ’ s intensive care units @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggesting obesity may end up being a factor in the UK ’ s higher death toll .
The UK is currently projected to have the highest number of coronavirus deaths in Europe , amid criticism of the government over whether it was too slow to enforce social distancing and lockdown measures .
Around 1 in 4 UK adults are obese .
In 2018 , the WHO found that the UK had the third-highest obesity rate in Europe , behind only Malta and Turkey .
The new data from the UK ’ s Intensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ICNARC ) showed that the proportion of severely obese ICU patients with the virus was more than double the proportion of severely obese people among the general population .
In a sample of ICU patients studied in England , Wales , and Northern Ireland , 7 % had a BMI of over 40 .
Around 3 % of the general population in England is severely obese .
Severely obese people in ICUs were 5 percentage points more likely to die than patients with a healthy weight , the ICNARC data showed .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the treatment required for severely obese patients compared to patients with a healthy weight .
Of those requiring advanced respiratory treatment , 39 % were obese , compared to 25 % who had a healthy weight .
Of those needing basic respiratory support , 37 % were obese .
Again , 25 % had a healthy weight .
Further studies in the UK , New York , and China have also suggested an association between obesity and the coronavirus , and are being looked at by British ministers and experts .
A study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people hospitalised with the virus in Britain found that the risk of death was 37 % higher in obese patients .
Another study in New York found that severely obese people were six times more likely to be hospitalised with COVID-19 .
Obese people were four times more likely .
A study in China found that people with obesity could be three times more likely to develop severe pneumonia .
According to a report published by the Italian National Institute of Health , a study on a small sample of COVID-19 patients found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of those under the age of 50 who died , but the report does n't draw any conclusions either way .
SAGE scientists are exploring potential “ mechanisms ” that could show a causal relationship between obesity and having more severe symptoms of COVID-19 , including the potential for the increased inflammatory response in obese people to exacerbate symptoms of the virus .
Sources familiar with SAGE ’ s work stressed to BuzzFeed News that there was currently not sufficient evidence to prove that obesity itself resulted in increased mortality , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They said that severely obese people are often likely to have other comorbidities that could be responsible for any worse symptoms .
Older people , men , black and Asian people , and those from socially deprived backgrounds were also seeing worse outcomes , the ICNARC data showed .

UK government scientists are urgently investigating whether people living with obesity may be disproportionately affected by the coronavirus, after emerging data from intensive care units suggested a stronger link than previously thought, BuzzFeed News can reveal.
Senior ministers have privately raised fears that Britain’s obesity rate, which is higher than most other developed countries, could be a factor in its comparatively higher death toll.
Current NHS advice states that people who are very obese — with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above — “may be at high risk” from COVID-19, but they are not in the “very high risk” category that requires “shielding” at home at all times.
Government experts on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) are studying whether obesity and severe obesity may lead to worse outcomes for patients than anticipated, multiple sources familiar with the group’s work said.
New data from the UK’s Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre, which has been presented to ministers and SAGE scientists, has found that the proportion of severely obese patients in ICUs is twice the proportion of severely obese people in the general population.
The Department of Health and Public Health England confirmed to BuzzFeed News that the UK was conducting research on whether there was a causal link between obesity and COVID-19, or whether other comorbidities often found in severely obese people are resulting in increased mortality.
Data and studies from the UK, the US, China, and other European nations have shown there is a strong association between obesity and the coronavirus, sources familiar with the British government’s scientists thinking said, but they warned that it was too early to say if there was a causal link with obesity itself, or a correlation that could be explained by other co-morbidities.
The scientists have cautioned that more research is needed before any definitive conclusions can be established. Discussions have taken place between British scientists and the World Health Organisation about cooperating on further research on possible interactions between obesity and COVID-19, BuzzFeed News has been told.
Ministers have become increasingly alarmed by data coming out of Britain’s intensive care units, with some members of the government suggesting obesity may end up being a factor in the UK’s higher death toll.
The UK is currently projected to have the highest number of coronavirus deaths in Europe, amid criticism of the government over whether it was too slow to enforce social distancing and lockdown measures.
Around 1 in 4 UK adults are obese. In 2018, the WHO found that the UK had the third-highest obesity rate in Europe, behind only Malta and Turkey.
The new data from the UK’s Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre (ICNARC) showed that the proportion of severely obese ICU patients with the virus was more than double the proportion of severely obese people among the general population.
In a sample of ICU patients studied in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, 7% had a BMI of over 40. Around 3% of the general population in England is severely obese.
Severely obese people in ICUs were 5 percentage points more likely to die than patients with a healthy weight, the ICNARC data showed.
The findings were starker when it came to the treatment required for severely obese patients compared to patients with a healthy weight.
Of those requiring advanced respiratory treatment, 39% were obese, compared to 25% who had a healthy weight. Of those needing basic respiratory support, 37% were obese. Again, 25% had a healthy weight.
Further studies in the UK, New York, and China have also suggested an association between obesity and the coronavirus, and are being looked at by British ministers and experts.
A study by the Coronavirus Clinical Characterisation Consortium of people hospitalised with the virus in Britain found that the risk of death was 37% higher in obese patients.
Another study in New York found that severely obese people were six times more likely to be hospitalised with COVID-19. Obese people were four times more likely.
A study in China found that people with obesity could be three times more likely to develop severe pneumonia.
According to a report published by the Italian National Institute of Health, a study on a small sample of COVID-19 patients found that obesity was an underlying condition in some of those under the age of 50 who died, but the report doesn't draw any conclusions either way.
SAGE scientists are exploring potential “mechanisms” that could show a causal relationship between obesity and having more severe symptoms of COVID-19, including the potential for the increased inflammatory response in obese people to exacerbate symptoms of the virus.
Sources familiar with SAGE’s work stressed to BuzzFeed News that there was currently not sufficient evidence to prove that obesity itself resulted in increased mortality, and that more research needed to be done. They said that severely obese people are often likely to have other comorbidities that could be responsible for any worse symptoms.
Older people, men, black and Asian people, and those from socially deprived backgrounds were also seeing worse outcomes, the ICNARC data showed.


buzzfeed--2020-03-13--6 Therapist-Approved Tips For Managing Your Anxiety During The Coronavirus Outbreak

If some of the things in this list were familiar , you might want to look into ways to take @ @ @ @ @ here are some quick resources : Maybe you want to learn more about starting therapy @ @ @ @ @ can benefit from talking to a professional .
You can learn more about anxiety disorders @ @ @ @ @ ways to be less anxious in general and here are some self-care tips .
And @ @ @ @ @ to someone immediately , the US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255 .
A list @ @ @ @ @ be found here .

If some of the things in this list were familiar, you might want to look into ways to take care of yourself. So here are some quick resources:
Maybe you want to learn more about starting therapy, since pretty much everyone can benefit from talking to a professional.
You can learn more about anxiety disorders here.
Here are little ways to be less anxious in general and here are some self-care tips.
And if you need to talk to someone immediately, the US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. A list of international suicide hotlines can be found here.


buzzfeed--2020-03-14--Britain’s Way Of Life Will Change For Months, Senior Ministers Have Warned As They Prepare Emergency

Britain’s Way Of Life Will Change For Months, Senior Ministers Have Warned As They Prepare Emergency Measures To Fight Coronavirus

So far , the UK government has imposed less stringent measures on the public than some other European countries — several of which have closed schools and borders — with Number 10 insisting it is being “ guided by the scientific advice ” from its chief medical officer Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance .
But as the “ peak ” of the coronavirus outbreak in the UK begins at the end of March , Britons should expect a series of tougher new measures bringing unprecedented disruption to their daily lives , ministers and aides told BuzzFeed News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from some companies on whether employees should work from home and restrict their movements has gone beyond the official government instructions .
Many firms — including BuzzFeed — have told staff to work from home , and some have also advised employees to avoid public transport and crowded places until the end of the month .
The English Premier League has postponed all fixtures until April 4 .
From April , that will become the norm for millions of workers across the country , a government source said , warning it was likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures and that home-working would continue until June at the earliest .
The government is escalating its own official advice next week , including introducing versions of some measures that it has previously rejected , such as restrictions on mass gatherings .
The priority for the government will be measures aimed at ensuring the safety of elderly and vulnerable people .
It is difficult to see how football fans will be able to return to stadiums in April and May or how the Tokyo Olympics will be able to go ahead , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also likely to become much harder from next month , senior ministers believe , with the Foreign Office limiting travel to more and more countries affected by coronavirus , air travel companies cancelling flights and other nations imposing blanket , unpredictable restrictions on who can cross into their borders .
On Friday , the FCO updated its travel advice to advise against all but essential travel to much of Spain .
Denmark closed its borders on Saturday and Poland is following suit on Sunday .
Ministers are preparing contingency plans for the insurance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of people who will have to cancel their holidays .
While Downing Street publicly insisted on Friday that it will not delay the UK ’ s transition period with the EU , a minister told BuzzFeed News that in truth “ nothing can be ruled in or out ” , leaving the door open to the prospect of Britain maintaining its standstill arrangement with Brussels beyond the end of the year .
On Friday , BuzzFeed News revealed that plans to hold some negotiations via video conference could be scuppered by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that the UK was “ almost certain ” to enter into a recession as the economy is impacted by the virus .
Some ministers are urging Johnson to pass legislation that will dramatically extend the emergency powers available to the government .
The Civil Contingencies Act currently limits the use of emergency powers — which include suspending the rule of law and deploying the army , banning public assembly and imposing travel restrictions — to 30 days .
But ministers are worried that , if parliament is shut down by the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be sufficient and that the government should have emergency powers at its disposal for a longer period .
This is likely to prove highly controversial with opposition parties .
Number 10 ’ s priority in tackling the coronavirus has been to ensure that the NHS is in the best possible position to cope when the number of people requiring treatment reaches its peak — expected to be around May .
Yet there are concerns among the government ’ s medical experts that , if their plan to delay and spread out the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and there is a sharp spike in cases instead , the NHS will not be able to provide enough hospital beds or ventilators for people who need them .
In this worst-case scenario , the death toll is expected to rise significantly beyond the 100,000 figure reported by the Sunday Times last weekend .
Publicly , the government has remained united in its support for Whitty and Vallance ’ s expert advice — and there is consensus among Johnson and his closest aides that they have taken the correct approach .
Privately , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BuzzFeed News that they think the government should have taken further steps to prevent the spread of the virus immediately .
One minister said there is no scientific consensus on what is the right thing to do .
A Tory MP said that Johnson faces a “ political shitstorm ” if the UK is affected worse than other countries and that he will not be able to use Whitty and Vallance as “ human shields ” .
But other members of the government defended the government ’ s “ herd immunity ” approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Vallance on Friday that allowing the virus to spread to around 60 % of the population , while protecting the elderly and vulnerable , is the best way to build immunity and fight it in the long-term .
Not doing so , one government source said , would lead to a second wave of the outbreak next winter that would end up being far more deadly , according to the expert advice .
Everything the government is doing is about preventing that worst-case outcome next winter , the source said , insisting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science and not behavioural science .

So far, the UK government has imposed less stringent measures on the public than some other European countries — several of which have closed schools and borders — with Number 10 insisting it is being “guided by the scientific advice” from its chief medical officer Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance.
But as the “peak” of the coronavirus outbreak in the UK begins at the end of March, Britons should expect a series of tougher new measures bringing unprecedented disruption to their daily lives, ministers and aides told BuzzFeed News.
At present, the corporate advice from some companies on whether employees should work from home and restrict their movements has gone beyond the official government instructions. Many firms — including BuzzFeed — have told staff to work from home, and some have also advised employees to avoid public transport and crowded places until the end of the month. The English Premier League has postponed all fixtures until April 4.
From April, that will become the norm for millions of workers across the country, a government source said, warning it was likely that many more companies would take similar measures and that home-working would continue until June at the earliest.
The government is escalating its own official advice next week, including introducing versions of some measures that it has previously rejected, such as restrictions on mass gatherings. The priority for the government will be measures aimed at ensuring the safety of elderly and vulnerable people.
It is difficult to see how football fans will be able to return to stadiums in April and May or how the Tokyo Olympics will be able to go ahead, the government source added.
International travel is also likely to become much harder from next month, senior ministers believe, with the Foreign Office limiting travel to more and more countries affected by coronavirus, air travel companies cancelling flights and other nations imposing blanket, unpredictable restrictions on who can cross into their borders.
On Friday, the FCO updated its travel advice to advise against all but essential travel to much of Spain. Denmark closed its borders on Saturday and Poland is following suit on Sunday.
Ministers are preparing contingency plans for the insurance industry’s response to potentially hundreds of thousands of people who will have to cancel their holidays.
While Downing Street publicly insisted on Friday that it will not delay the UK’s transition period with the EU, a minister told BuzzFeed News that in truth “nothing can be ruled in or out”, leaving the door open to the prospect of Britain maintaining its standstill arrangement with Brussels beyond the end of the year. On Friday, BuzzFeed News revealed that plans to hold some negotiations via video conference could be scuppered by the outbreak too.
The minister also said that the UK was “almost certain” to enter into a recession as the economy is impacted by the virus.
Some ministers are urging Johnson to pass legislation that will dramatically extend the emergency powers available to the government.
The Civil Contingencies Act currently limits the use of emergency powers — which include suspending the rule of law and deploying the army, banning public assembly and imposing travel restrictions — to 30 days.
But ministers are worried that, if parliament is shut down by the virus, the 30 day expiration date will not be sufficient and that the government should have emergency powers at its disposal for a longer period. This is likely to prove highly controversial with opposition parties.
Number 10’s priority in tackling the coronavirus has been to ensure that the NHS is in the best possible position to cope when the number of people requiring treatment reaches its peak — expected to be around May.
Yet there are concerns among the government’s medical experts that, if their plan to delay and spread out the peak of the epidemic is unsuccessful, and there is a sharp spike in cases instead, the NHS will not be able to provide enough hospital beds or ventilators for people who need them.
In this worst-case scenario, the death toll is expected to rise significantly beyond the 100,000 figure reported by the Sunday Times last weekend.
Publicly, the government has remained united in its support for Whitty and Vallance’s expert advice — and there is consensus among Johnson and his closest aides that they have taken the correct approach.
Privately, some ministers and Tory MPs have told BuzzFeed News that they think the government should have taken further steps to prevent the spread of the virus immediately.
One minister said there is no scientific consensus on what is the right thing to do. A Tory MP said that Johnson faces a “political shitstorm” if the UK is affected worse than other countries and that he will not be able to use Whitty and Vallance as “human shields”.
But other members of the government defended the government’s “herd immunity” approach to BuzzFeed News — the theory detailed by Vallance on Friday that allowing the virus to spread to around 60% of the population, while protecting the elderly and vulnerable, is the best way to build immunity and fight it in the long-term.
Not doing so, one government source said, would lead to a second wave of the outbreak next winter that would end up being far more deadly, according to the expert advice. Everything the government is doing is about preventing that worst-case outcome next winter, the source said, insisting that their reasoning was based on epidemiological science and not behavioural science.


buzzfeed--2020-03-17--The UK Chancellor Has Unveiled A £330 Billion Package To Help Businesses Survive Coronavirus

Britain 's chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak has unveiled an economic package worth more than £330 billion to support businesses through the coronavirus pandemic — a move he described as an unprecedented government intervention on a scale unimaginable a few weeks ago .
Any business that needs access to cash will be able to apply for government-backed and guaranteed loans worth £330 billion , and Sunak promised that he 'd make more available if demand was greater in the weeks ahead .
In a statement interspersed with the refrain `` We will do whatever it takes , '' Sunak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assure every British citizen this government will give you the tools you need to get through this . ''
The government will in addition provide business interruption loans of up to £5 million , with no interest due for the first six months .
The chancellor also announced a series of measures aimed at protecting the hospitality sector — with pubs , restaurants , and theatres under extreme pressure following the government ’ s advice to avoid social contact .
All pubs and restaurants will be able to operate as takeaway and delivery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to secure a cash grant from the government of £25,000 each .
The business rates holiday will be extended to all firms .
There will be a three-month mortgage holiday for anyone struggling to pay their mortgage , Sunak also announced , but there was no mention of support for people paying rent .
The chancellor also signalled an imminent state intervention on helping firms pay their employees ' wages , similar to those taken by other countries this week .
He said he was exploring a `` partnership '' between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can pay salaries and do not have to lay people off .
Sunak did not provide details of the approach the UK would take , but said it `` ca n't invent something from scratch '' and suggested he would look to `` other countries '' that have come up with proposals in the last few days .
He will also discuss a support package for airlines and airports in coming days .
Speaking alongside Sunak , Boris Johnson prepared the country for further stringent measures to be introduced to fight the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We may well have to go further and faster in the coming days to protect lives and the NHS , ” the prime minister said , saying he had to “ act like a wartime government and do whatever it takes to support our economy ” .
“ We must support millions of businesses and tens of millions of families and individuals , ” he insisted .
Following a later , near-identical statement to the House of Commons , Sunak faced criticism of the measures from opposition MPs , who said the package @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chancellor John McDonnell said : `` Today , in some of our constituencies people were being laid off .
They were losing their jobs , and losing their incomes , and their livelihoods and being threatened .
`` People are worried , and I ’ m just disappointed that today , today ’ s package of measures didn ’ t really appreciate the urgency and the gravity of the situation for those individuals and those families . ''
He urged the chancellor to meet with trade unions within `` days not weeks '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues , which he said Sunak had `` failed to address . ''
McDonnell said statutory sick pay should be available for everyone , from day one , including part-time workers and those on zero hours contracts , and urged the chancellor to raise sick pay in line with the real living wage .
He also suggested that the government should requisition private hospital beds during the crisis , rather than pay to use them .
The shadow chancellor said that while Labour was keen to support and work with the government , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to universal credit , legislate to allow for those who are struggle to freeze or suspend utility bill payments , and to do more to protect renters .
He said : “ There is nothing in the statement to protect renters… it affects us all , all of constituents .
Will the chancellor bring forward measures urgently now to protect renters , prevent evictions and enable rent holidays for people unable to meet their costs ?
” In response Sunak said he had already made significant changes to universal credit , statutory sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in last week 's budget .
He told MPs that the housing secretary would be making a further statement detailing measures to protect renters , and said that public services issues the shadow chancellor had raised were under `` active and urgent consideration . ''

Britain's chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak has unveiled an economic package worth more than £330 billion to support businesses through the coronavirus pandemic — a move he described as an unprecedented government intervention on a scale unimaginable a few weeks ago.
Any business that needs access to cash will be able to apply for government-backed and guaranteed loans worth £330 billion, and Sunak promised that he'd make more available if demand was greater in the weeks ahead.
In a statement interspersed with the refrain "We will do whatever it takes," Sunak told reporters: “I want to assure every British citizen this government will give you the tools you need to get through this."
The government will in addition provide business interruption loans of up to £5 million, with no interest due for the first six months.
The chancellor also announced a series of measures aimed at protecting the hospitality sector — with pubs, restaurants, and theatres under extreme pressure following the government’s advice to avoid social contact.
All pubs and restaurants will be able to operate as takeaway and delivery services from Wednesday.
Businesses will be able to secure a cash grant from the government of £25,000 each. The business rates holiday will be extended to all firms.
There will be a three-month mortgage holiday for anyone struggling to pay their mortgage, Sunak also announced, but there was no mention of support for people paying rent.
The chancellor also signalled an imminent state intervention on helping firms pay their employees' wages, similar to those taken by other countries this week.
He said he was exploring a "partnership" between the government and businesses to ensure that they can pay salaries and do not have to lay people off. Sunak did not provide details of the approach the UK would take, but said it "can't invent something from scratch" and suggested he would look to "other countries" that have come up with proposals in the last few days.
He will also discuss a support package for airlines and airports in coming days.
Speaking alongside Sunak, Boris Johnson prepared the country for further stringent measures to be introduced to fight the virus in the next few days.
“We may well have to go further and faster in the coming days to protect lives and the NHS,” the prime minister said, saying he had to “act like a wartime government and do whatever it takes to support our economy”.
“We must support millions of businesses and tens of millions of families and individuals,” he insisted.
Following a later, near-identical statement to the House of Commons, Sunak faced criticism of the measures from opposition MPs, who said the package he had introduced lacked urgency.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said: "Today, in some of our constituencies people were being laid off. They were losing their jobs, and losing their incomes, and their livelihoods and being threatened.
"People are worried, and I’m just disappointed that today, today’s package of measures didn’t really appreciate the urgency and the gravity of the situation for those individuals and those families."
He urged the chancellor to meet with trade unions within "days not weeks" and picked up on a number of issues, which he said Sunak had "failed to address."
McDonnell said statutory sick pay should be available for everyone, from day one, including part-time workers and those on zero hours contracts, and urged the chancellor to raise sick pay in line with the real living wage.
He also suggested that the government should requisition private hospital beds during the crisis, rather than pay to use them.
The shadow chancellor said that while Labour was keen to support and work with the government, he suggested Sunak should look at access to universal credit, legislate to allow for those who are struggle to freeze or suspend utility bill payments, and to do more to protect renters.
He said: “There is nothing in the statement to protect renters… it affects us all, all of constituents. Will the chancellor bring forward measures urgently now to protect renters, prevent evictions and enable rent holidays for people unable to meet their costs?”
In response Sunak said he had already made significant changes to universal credit, statutory sick pay, and employment and support allowance in last week's budget.
He told MPs that the housing secretary would be making a further statement detailing measures to protect renters, and said that public services issues the shadow chancellor had raised were under "active and urgent consideration."


buzzfeed--2020-03-16--18 At-Home Ideas To Keep Kids Busy And Entertained During Coronavirus

With the coronavirus closing down school districts across the country , we wanted to share useful resources to help keep @ @ @ @ @ and learning at home .
Find them below — and leave any favorites we missed @ @ @ @ @

With the coronavirus closing down school districts across the country, we wanted to share useful resources to help keep kids busy, entertained, and learning at home. Find them below — and leave any favorites we missed in the comments! 📚


buzzfeed--2020-03-21--Sophie Turner Threw Major Shade At Evangeline Lilly For Being Irresponsible About Social Distancing

`` I have two young kids , '' the actor wrote in response to a fan who called her decision @ @ @ @ @ to say , `` Some people value their lives over their freedom , some people @ @ @ @ @ . ''

"I have two young kids," the actor wrote in response to a fan who called her decision irresponsible. She went on to say, "Some people value their lives over their freedom, some people value freedom over their lives."


buzzfeed--2020-04-13--A UK Daytime TV Host Has "Clarified" His Comments On Coronavirus And 5G After Hundreds Of Complaints

TV presenter Eamonn Holmes has sought to clarify his comments about a conspiracy theory linking coronavirus to 5G , after @ @ @ @ @ made to the broadcasting watchdog .
Holmes was co-hosting This Morning on Monday when he @ @ @ @ @ to question whether wireless communications infrastructure was spreading the virus .
The baseless theory has @ @ @ @ @ , including Full Fact , which said there was `` no evidence that 5G wifi @ @ @ @ @ new coronavirus '' .
TV regulator Ofcom said 419 complaints had been made about his @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday .
An Ofcom spokesperson said : “ We are assessing this programme in @ @ @ @ @ On Tuesday 's show , Holmes sought to clarify his comments by reading out a @ @ @ @ @ there was `` no scientific evidence '' to support the claims that 5G was linked @ @ @ @ @ insisted `` many people are rightly concerned and looking for answers and that 's simply @ @ @ @ @ do , to impart yesterday '' .

TV presenter Eamonn Holmes has sought to clarify his comments about a conspiracy theory linking coronavirus to 5G, after more than 400 complaints were made to the broadcasting watchdog.
Holmes was co-hosting This Morning on Monday when he suggested that people were right to question whether wireless communications infrastructure was spreading the virus.
The baseless theory has been comprehensively debunked by organisations, including Full Fact, which said there was "no evidence that 5G wifi networks are linked to the new coronavirus".
TV regulator Ofcom said 419 complaints had been made about his comments, as of 9.30am on Tuesday. An Ofcom spokesperson said: “We are assessing this programme in full as a priority.”
On Tuesday's show, Holmes sought to clarify his comments by reading out a statement on the show saying there was "no scientific evidence" to support the claims that 5G was linked to coronavirus.
But he insisted "many people are rightly concerned and looking for answers and that's simply what I was trying to do, to impart yesterday".


buzzfeed--2020-05-03--The Doctors Who Treated Boris Johnson As He Battled Coronavirus Say They're "Honoured And Humbled" H

The Doctors Who Treated Boris Johnson As He Battled Coronavirus Say They're "Honoured And Humbled" He Named His Baby Son After Them

The couple welcomed their first child together on April 29 , just 17 days after Johnson was discharged from hospital after having COVID-19 .
The prime minister was admitted to hospital on April , 5 after testing positive for the coronavirus .
He spent three nights in intensive care before his condition improved .
In an interview with the Sun on Sunday , Johnson shared his surprise at how quickly his health deteriorated and said that as his condition hit critical , doctors had devised a plan in the event of his death on how it would be announced .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not in particularly brilliant shape and I was aware there were contingency plans in place .
The doctors had all sorts of arrangements for what to do if things went badly wrong .
Despite receiving litres of oxygen , the 55-year-old that his health did n't seem to improve .
He said the “ indicators kept going in the wrong direction ” and he kept asking himself : “ How am I going to get out of this ?
” “ They had a strategy to deal with a ‘ death of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ The bad moment came when it was 50-50 whether they were going to have to put a tube down my windpipe .
“ That was when it got a bit ... they were starting to think about how to handle it presentationally.
” Johnson marked his return to work on April 27 with an address to the nation on the front steps of Downing Street where he recanted his experience with the virus , comparing it to a mugger .
Johnson said that while he was determined to get the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ease lockdown measures until it was safe to do so .
Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson is the first child for Symonds and Johnson , who announced in February 2020 that they were engaged to be married .
He is the third child in modern history to be born to a sitting prime minister .

The couple welcomed their first child together on April 29, just 17 days after Johnson was discharged from hospital after having COVID-19.
The prime minister was admitted to hospital on April, 5 after testing positive for the coronavirus. He spent three nights in intensive care before his condition improved.
In an interview with the Sun on Sunday, Johnson shared his surprise at how quickly his health deteriorated and said that as his condition hit critical, doctors had devised a plan in the event of his death on how it would be announced.
He told the newspaper: “I was not in particularly brilliant shape and I was aware there were contingency plans in place. The doctors had all sorts of arrangements for what to do if things went badly wrong.
Despite receiving litres of oxygen, the 55-year-old that his health didn't seem to improve. He said the “indicators kept going in the wrong direction” and he kept asking himself: “How am I going to get out of this?”
“They had a strategy to deal with a ‘death of Stalin’–type scenario,” he said.
“The bad moment came when it was 50-50 whether they were going to have to put a tube down my windpipe.
“That was when it got a bit ... they were starting to think about how to handle it presentationally.”
Johnson marked his return to work on April 27 with an address to the nation on the front steps of Downing Street where he recanted his experience with the virus, comparing it to a mugger.
Johnson said that while he was determined to get the British economy moving, he would not ease lockdown measures until it was safe to do so.
Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson is the first child for Symonds and Johnson, who announced in February 2020 that they were engaged to be married. He is the third child in modern history to be born to a sitting prime minister.


buzzfeed--2020-05-03--"Localised" Coronavirus Restrictions Could Be Reimposed After The UK Lockdown Is Lifted

The government is preparing the UK for a staged return to a “ new normal ” with the possibility of lockdown restrictions being applied in a “ localised way ” , according to Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove .
He suggested this at the daily coronavirus press conference , where Professor Stephen Powis of the NHS said the peak of hospital admissions had now passed , particularly in London — and it was revealed that tests had fallen below the government 's daily target .
Gove said ministers were working with employers and unions to ensure that workers understood safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offered protective equipment varying “ from setting to setting ” .
He said : `` The strategy is for a phased approach that allows us to monitor the impact and challenges on public health and , if necessary , in a specific , localised way we can pause or change as required . ''
The `` phased '' approach is likely to see primary school children returning to their schools in June , according to reports , and measures will be introduced for office workspaces .
Before any sort of revision to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be imperative that the government ’ s five-point criteria had to be met : “ Before we can ease the existing restrictions , we must ensure that the government 's five tests are met , that the number of cases are falling , that death rates are declining , that the NHS has what it needs , and that measures are in place to stop a second peak overwhelming the NHS.
” Gove gave no further detail as to how localised restrictions could be implemented , but he noted how the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing would give people greater confidence when the lockdown is eased .
However , on the point of testing , he announced just 76,496 tests were administered yesterday , a significant fall in the numbers just days after the government celebrated hitting health secretary Matt Hancock ’ s “ audacious ” goal of 100,000 tests a day .
The government had been criticised for including 40,000 postal tests that were sent out but not necessarily completed .
Gove suggested that the fall in tests could be down during the weekend as fewer people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , track , and trace ” programme , using an app and human tracers , is set to be unveiled by health secretary Matt Hancock on Monday , with the Isle of Wight used for the pilot 's setting .
Today ’ s briefing announced a further 327 deaths , bringing the latest figures of coronavirus deaths in the UK to 28,446 and making it the second-highest total in Europe .

The government is preparing the UK for a staged return to a “new normal” with the possibility of lockdown restrictions being applied in a “localised way”, according to Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove.
He suggested this at the daily coronavirus press conference, where Professor Stephen Powis of the NHS said the peak of hospital admissions had now passed, particularly in London — and it was revealed that tests had fallen below the government's daily target.
Gove said ministers were working with employers and unions to ensure that workers understood safety guidance and that public servants would be offered protective equipment varying “from setting to setting”.
He said: "The strategy is for a phased approach that allows us to monitor the impact and challenges on public health and, if necessary, in a specific, localised way we can pause or change as required."
The "phased" approach is likely to see primary school children returning to their schools in June, according to reports, and measures will be introduced for office workspaces.
Before any sort of revision to the current lockdown, Gove said that it would be imperative that the government’s five-point criteria had to be met: “Before we can ease the existing restrictions, we must ensure that the government's five tests are met, that the number of cases are falling, that death rates are declining, that the NHS has what it needs, and that measures are in place to stop a second peak overwhelming the NHS.”
Gove gave no further detail as to how localised restrictions could be implemented, but he noted how the “amazing” increase in the level of testing would give people greater confidence when the lockdown is eased.
However, on the point of testing, he announced just 76,496 tests were administered yesterday, a significant fall in the numbers just days after the government celebrated hitting health secretary Matt Hancock’s “audacious” goal of 100,000 tests a day. The government had been criticised for including 40,000 postal tests that were sent out but not necessarily completed.
Gove suggested that the fall in tests could be down during the weekend as fewer people were at work.
A “test, track, and trace” programme, using an app and human tracers, is set to be unveiled by health secretary Matt Hancock on Monday, with the Isle of Wight used for the pilot's setting.
Today’s briefing announced a further 327 deaths, bringing the latest figures of coronavirus deaths in the UK to 28,446 and making it the second-highest total in Europe.


buzzfeed--2020-03-24--A Fake Bill Gates Quote About The Coronavirus Has Jumped From WhatsApp To Major News Outlets

A spokesperson for the Sun said : “ In the heat of events yesterday , The Sun online mistakenly published a spoof story which was doing the rounds on WhatsApp .
The story has now been removed .
Every day The Sun chooses not to publish hundreds of stories and we apologise for this error.
” Although we can track the spread of the false quote on Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter , it is not possible to see how far it has spread by email or WhatsApp , an encrypted messaging platform owned by Facebook .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been mistakenly attributed to Gates .
In 2016 , Snopes debunked a story about Gates supposedly saying vaccinations are a tool for governments to depopulate the world .
Although the `` spirituality '' quote is false , Gates has spoken at length about the coronavirus , recently taking part in an `` Ask Me Anything '' session on Reddit .
The internet has long been a breeding ground for quotes falsely attributed to famous figures .
In 2017 , Donald Trump posted and then deleted a Twitter and Instagram post with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ In the end , it 's not the years in your life that counts , it 's the life in your years ” .
Lincoln never actually said this .
Fake George Orwell quotes also do a roaring trade on social media — one common favourite is “ during times of universal deceit , telling the truth is a revolutionary act ” .
This “ spiritual ” post attributed to Bill Gates may not be the most sinister example of coronavirus-related misinformation compared to rumours of troops marching through London or claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
But the speed with which a falsehood can jump from untraceable WhatsApps to major news outlets is a cautionary tale , as everyone sits at home refreshing , screenshotting , and forwarding , gripped by the latest news about this pandemic .
The full quote falsely attributed to Bill Gates : What is the Corona/ Covid-19 Virus Really Teaching us ?
I ’ m a strong believer that there is a SPIRITUAL purpose behind everything that happens in this world whether that is what we perceive as being good or being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I want to share with you what I feel the Corona/ Covid-19 virus is really doing to us : 1 ) It is reminding us that we are all EQUAL regardless of our culture , religion , occupation , financial situation or how famous we are .
This disease treats us all equally , perhaps we should to .
2 ) It is reminding us that we are all connected and something that affects one person has an effect on another .
It is reminding us that the false borders that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this virus does not need a passport .
It is reminding us , by oppressing us for a short time , of those in this world whose whole life is spent in oppression .
3 ) It is reminding us of how PRECIOUS our HEALTH is and how we have moved to neglect it through eating nutrient poor manufactured food and drinking water that is contaminated with chemicals upon chemicals LIKE SODA etc ... ..
If we don ’ t look after our HEALTH we will , of course , get Very Sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the SHORTNESS of life & of what is most important for us to do , which is to help each other , especially those who are OLD OR SICK .
Our purpose is not to buy TOILET Rolls & Clear up the Shelves without thinking of others .
5 ) It is reminding us of how MATERIALISTIC our SOCIETY has become & how , when in times of difficulty , we remember that it ’ s the essentials that we need ( food , water , medicine ) as opposed to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to .
6 ) It is reminding us of how important our FAMILY & our HOME LIFE is and how much we have NEGLECTED this .
It is FORCING us back into our houses so we can rebuild them into our home & to STRENGTHEN our FAMILY unit .
7 ) It is reminding us that our true work is not our job , that is what we do , NOT what we were created to do .
Our true work is to LOOK AFTER EACH OTHER as our Grand Parents did , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of BENEFIT to one another .
8 ) It is reminding us to keep our egos in check .
It is reminding us that no matter how great we think we are or how great others think we are , a virus can bring our world to a standstill .
9 ) It is reminding us that the power of freewill is in our hands .
We can choose to cooperate and help each other , to share , to give , to help & to support each other or we can choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to look after only ourself .
Indeed , it is difficulties that bring out OUR TRUE COLOR .
10 ) It is reminding us that we can be patient , or we can panic .
We can either understand that this type of situation has happened MANY times before in history and will PASS , or we can PANIC & SEE it as the END of the world & consequently , cause ourselves more harm than good .
11 ) It is reminding us that this can either be an end or a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time of reflection & understanding , where we learn from our mistakes , or it can be the START of a cycle which will continue until we finally learn the lesson we are meant to .
12 ) It is reminding us that this Earth is sick .
It is reminding us that we need to look at the rate of deforestation just as urgently as we look at the speed at which toilet rolls are disappearing off of shelves .
We are sick because our home is sick .
13 ) It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there is always ease .
Life is cyclical , and this is just a phase in this great cycle .
We do not need to panic ; this too shall pass .
14 ) Whereas many see the Corona/ Covid-19 virus as a great disaster , I prefer to see it as a *GREAT CORRECTOR IN OUR LIVES* It is sent to REMIND us of the important lessons that we seem to have forgotten & it is up to us if WE WILL LEARN them or NOT ... .

A spokesperson for the Sun said: “In the heat of events yesterday, The Sun online mistakenly published a spoof story which was doing the rounds on WhatsApp. The story has now been removed. Every day The Sun chooses not to publish hundreds of stories and we apologise for this error.”
Although we can track the spread of the false quote on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, it is not possible to see how far it has spread by email or WhatsApp, an encrypted messaging platform owned by Facebook.
This is not the first time an online quote has been mistakenly attributed to Gates. In 2016, Snopes debunked a story about Gates supposedly saying vaccinations are a tool for governments to depopulate the world.
Although the "spirituality" quote is false, Gates has spoken at length about the coronavirus, recently taking part in an "Ask Me Anything" session on Reddit.
The internet has long been a breeding ground for quotes falsely attributed to famous figures.
In 2017, Donald Trump posted and then deleted a Twitter and Instagram post with a picture of Abraham Lincoln alongside the quote “In the end, it's not the years in your life that counts, it's the life in your years”. Lincoln never actually said this.
Fake George Orwell quotes also do a roaring trade on social media — one common favourite is “during times of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act”.
This “spiritual” post attributed to Bill Gates may not be the most sinister example of coronavirus-related misinformation compared to rumours of troops marching through London or claims that the virus is a “bioweapon”.
But the speed with which a falsehood can jump from untraceable WhatsApps to major news outlets is a cautionary tale, as everyone sits at home refreshing, screenshotting, and forwarding, gripped by the latest news about this pandemic.
The full quote falsely attributed to Bill Gates:
What is the Corona/ Covid-19 Virus Really Teaching us?
I’m a strong believer that there is a SPIRITUAL purpose behind everything that happens in this world whether that is what we perceive as being good or being bad.
As I meditate upon this,
I want to share with you what I feel the Corona/ Covid-19 virus is really doing to us:
1) It is reminding us that we are all EQUAL regardless of our culture, religion, occupation, financial situation or how famous we are.
This disease treats us all equally, perhaps we should to.
2) It is reminding us that we are all connected and something that affects one person has an effect on another.
It is reminding us that the false borders that we have put up have little value as this virus does not need a passport. It is reminding us, by oppressing us for a short time, of those in this world whose whole life is spent in oppression.
3) It is reminding us of how PRECIOUS our HEALTH is and how we have moved to neglect it through eating nutrient poor manufactured food and drinking water that is contaminated with chemicals upon chemicals LIKE SODA etc.....
If we don’t look after our HEALTH we will, of course, get Very Sick.
4) It is reminding us of the SHORTNESS of life & of what is most important for us to do, which is to help each other, especially those who are OLD OR SICK.
Our purpose is not to buy TOILET Rolls & Clear up the Shelves without thinking of others.
5) It is reminding us of how MATERIALISTIC our SOCIETY has become & how, when in times of difficulty, we remember that it’s the essentials that we need (food, water, medicine)
as opposed to the LUXURIOUS that we sometimes unnecessarily give VALUE to.
6) It is reminding us of how important our FAMILY & our HOME LIFE is and how much we have NEGLECTED this.
It is FORCING us back into our houses so we can rebuild them into our home &
to STRENGTHEN our FAMILY unit.
7) It is reminding us that our true work is not our job,
that is what we do, NOT what we were created to do.
Our true work is to LOOK AFTER EACH OTHER as our Grand Parents did , to PROTECT each other & to be of BENEFIT to one another.
8) It is reminding us to keep our egos in check. It is reminding us that no matter how great we think we are or how great others think we are,
a virus can bring our world to a standstill.
9) It is reminding us that the power of freewill is in our hands. We can choose to cooperate and help each other, to share, to give, to help & to support each other or we can choose to be selfish, to hoard, to look after only ourself. Indeed, it is difficulties that bring out OUR TRUE COLOR.
10) It is reminding us that we can be patient, or we can panic. We can either understand that this type of situation has happened MANY times before in history and will PASS , or we can PANIC & SEE it as the END of the world & consequently, cause ourselves more harm than good.
11) It is reminding us that this can either be an end or a NEW beginning. This can be a time of reflection & understanding, where we learn from our mistakes, or it can be the START of a cycle which will continue until we finally learn the lesson we are meant to.
12) It is reminding us that this Earth is sick.
It is reminding us that we need to look at the rate of deforestation just as urgently as we look at the speed at which toilet rolls are disappearing off of shelves. We are sick because our home is sick.
13) It is reminding us that after every difficulty, there is always ease. Life is cyclical, and this is just a phase in this great cycle. We do not need to panic; this too shall pass.
14) Whereas many see the Corona/ Covid-19 virus as a great disaster, I prefer to see it as a *GREAT CORRECTOR IN OUR LIVES*
It is sent to REMIND us of the important lessons that we seem to have forgotten & it is up to us if WE WILL LEARN them or NOT....