bbcuk--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: How close is the UK to 100,000 tests a day?

The UK government has pledged to do 100,000 coronavirus tests a day by the end of April .
It is managing just over 40,000 with two days to go .
Who can get tested ?
The staff and residents of care homes can now be tested , even if they do n't have any symptoms .
Testing is also being extended to the wider public in England .
It means anyone over 65 , or anyone in their household , who currently has symptoms can be tested .
The same will apply to anyone who has to leave home to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they live with .
Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland are expected to follow suit .
Hospital patients , NHS and care staff , emergency services , essential workers and their families can also get tested .
The list of key workers includes teachers , police officers and transport workers .
These tests are for people who want to find out if they currently have the virus .
The government says it has the capacity to carry out 75,000 tests a day , but not all this capacity is being used .
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests are done by taking a swab of the nose or throat , which is sent off to a lab to look for signs of the virus 's genetic material .
They show whether someone is currently infected with coronavirus .
Key workers in England and Scotland who are self-isolating because they or a family member have coronavirus symptoms can be referred for a test by their employer .
They can also book online themselves and choose whether to attend a regional test site , or ask for a home test kit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the site since its launch , many have found that tests are no longer available .
Some have also reported turning up to their booked appointment and being turned away due to demand .
If a test is negative , the key worker can return to work if they are well enough , have not had a high temperature for 48 hours , and those living with them test negative .
Wales is adopting a needs-based approach to testing for NHS and `` critical '' non-NHS workers .
In Northern Ireland , key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three drive-through centres .
How easy is it to get tested ?
The government hopes to have up to 50 test sites by the end of April .
But there has been criticism that getting tested is not always simple once a test has been arranged .
The British Medical Association has said the accessibility of centres is a major problem .
And a Dorset residential care home operator said its staff faced a 240-mile round trip to Gatwick for testing .
Equally , it has been difficult for some to get in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ site while suffering symptoms of Covid-19 .
The government hopes to ease this by offering an option of home testing kits - but the supply of these is limited .
People are tested to diagnose them individually , and to work out how far the virus has spread .
It helps people , including NHS workers , know whether they are safe to be at work .
It can also help the health service plan for extra demand , including in intensive care units .
Testing could also inform decisions around social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ households in England will take part in a study to track coronavirus in the general population , as well as testing them for the antibodies that would indicate a past infection .
It will help the government identify how much the virus is circulating and whether the rate of infection is increasing .
The findings will help the government 's strategy for easing the lockdown .
Has the UK been too slow in testing for coronavirus ?
There have been suggestions the UK government did not act quickly enough .
The UK did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass testing , unlike some other countries .
Countries like Germany and South Korea - which have tested far more widely than the UK - rapidly stockpiled kits and made the test available to a larger number of labs .
As of 26 April , the UK had carried out eight tests per 100,000 people , whereas Italy had done 30 per 100,000 and South Korea 12 , according to data collated by online scientific publication Our World in Data from official sources .
Germany had carried out 25 per 100,000 as of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures .
Public Health England started with its own eight laboratories , later expanding to a further 40 NHS labs .
Then the government said it would involve more laboratories from universities , research institutes and private companies .
UK testing efforts have also been held back by challenges in getting hold of swabs , testing kits and chemical reagents .
An antibody test shows whether someone has already had the virus .
They work by looking for signs of immunity , by using a drop of blood on a device that works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Hancock has said that 15 of the most promising antibody tests had been tested , but none was good enough .
Tests bought from China identified antibodies in patients who had been seriously ill with coronavirus , but did not pick up the milder cases , according to head of the UK testing regime , Prof John Newton .
These are tests that can be used at home .
A more reliable laboratory antibody test is in use at Porton Down , but it is currently being reserved to estimate population-level immunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their infection status .
The World Health Organization 's head of emerging diseases , Dr Maria Van Kerkhove , said there is no evidence tests can show `` that an individual is immune or is protected against reinfection '' .
Correction 25 April 2020 : An earlier version of this article incorrectly said that France had conducted just under 140,000 tests a day by 21 April .
The figure of just under 140,000 refers instead to the number of tests it had carried out weekly .
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The government says it will be able to expand the testing system again in the future if necessary, such as if a new variant of concern emerges.


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Kawasaki-like disease: Coronavirus risks for children

There are concerns about a severe inflammatory symptoms in children that could be linked to coronavirus .
So what does this mean for how we understand the risks of coronavirus in young people ?
What were the concerns ?
An urgent alert was issued to GPs after several children presented with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease - a potentially fatal syndrome that affects blood vessels - including a high temperature , low blood pressure , a rash and difficulty breathing .
The syndrome appeared to be similar to the over-active immune response , known as a `` cytokine storm '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In many cases it seems it 's the body 's immune response rather than the virus itself that proves life-threatening .
But these symptoms identified in children are rare events - known to affect about 20 children so far - and not all of them tested positive for Covid-19 .
It remains the case that , overall , older people are at higher risk from coronavirus .
It 's far rarer for children to have severe symptoms .
Although extremely rare , there have been a small number cases of children who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk at different ages The average age of people being admitted to critical care units in England , Wales and Northern Ireland was 60 as of 24 April , an audit by a research charity suggested .
Meanwhile , data from the US 's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) suggested over 65s were twice as likely to be hospitalised with coronavirus than 50-64-year-olds - who in turn were more than three times as likely to be hospitalised than 18-49-year-olds .
Under-18s were the least effected group .
`` Children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % and 5 % of diagnosed Covid-19 cases , have often milder disease than adults and deaths have been extremely rare , '' according to Prof Adilia Warris , a paediatric infectious diseases specialist at the University of Exeter .
But , Prof Rosalind Smyth , a consultant in paediatric respiratory medicine at Great Ormond Street Hospital points out , `` our understanding of this condition in children is limited .
`` We should investigate fully these children , with SARS-CoV-2 , who present with a multi-system inflammatory disease to assess whether this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she says .
When to seek help Whilst coronavirus is infectious to children , it is rarely serious .
If your child is unwell it is likely to be a non-coronavirus illness , rather than coronavirus itself .
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health advises parents seek urgent help ( call 999 or go to A & E ) if their child is : • Becoming pale , mottled and feeling abnormally cold to the touch • Has pauses in their breathing ( apnoeas ) , has an irregular breathing pattern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in breathing becoming agitated or unresponsive • Is going blue round the lips • Becomes extremely distressed ( crying inconsolably despite distraction ) , confused , very lethargic ( difficult to wake ) or unresponsive • Develops a rash that does not disappear with pressure ( the 'Glass test ' ) • Has testicular pain , especially in teenage boys Just because most children wo n't develop severe symptoms , does n't mean they ca n't carry the virus and spread it to others through coughs and sneezes .
But we still have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people with no symptoms , or only very mild ones , actually are to others .
`` One of the many unknowns with the current coronavirus outbreak is how many children are being infected and potentially passing on infection to others , '' says Prof Matthew Snape at the University of Oxford .
He is about to begin research into how many children and teenagers have been infected and developed immunity .
`` Understanding this is vital to understanding how to manage the outbreak response , including decisions about when to re-open schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and a more recent study by researchers at the University College London , suggested the negative effects of school closures may outweigh any benefits of slowing the spread of the virus .
Underlying health conditions also play a role , regardless of age .
For example , there are about five-and-a-half million people in the UK of all ages who have asthma - and this puts you at higher risk of severe illness if you contract coronavirus .
Some may have undiagnosed conditions which may not be discovered until a coroner investigates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the coronavirus ?
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"As cases in the community rise there will be a small increase in the number of children we see with Covid-19, but the overwhelming majority of children and young people have no symptoms or very mild illness only," says Prof Russell Viner, president of Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.


bbcuk--2020-04-28--'I wanted doors I could slam': Growing up in a see-through house

As a child , Shelley Klein envied her friends ' more traditional homes .
She grew up in a `` see-through '' house in the Scottish Borders , designed by leading modernist architect Peter Womersley .
Her father was influential designer Bernat Klein , and their home regularly hosted catwalk shows for fashion editors who were flown up from London .
`` It was lovely , but I do n't think as a child I kind of recognised that it was not the norm , it was just home , '' Shelley said .
`` Friends loved the house ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exceptional .
`` I know I was far more jealous of them living in their more traditional houses . ''
Shelley has now written a book about living in High Sunderland , near Selkirk .
The building - which has been A-listed by Historic Environment Scotland - has been described as a `` signature work '' of Peter Womersley .
The Borders-based architect designed the geometric modular building in the late 1950s .
Shelley said the thought of the house as being `` beautiful and fun '' when she was a little girl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ older .
`` As a teenager I wanted doors that I could slam , and also just places that you could go and hide and be by yourself , '' she explained .
`` In a very open-planned glass house , that 's not so easy .
`` I did n't have a bedroom door until I was about 13 - when I demanded that my dad put one in because I did want some privacy . ''
She said the design , while beautiful , was not always easy to live with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when you do n't feel quite as private from the outside world , '' she said .
`` It was more the idea that people could look in , even though we were n't overlooked or anything , but people would suddenly appear at the window .
`` As a very little child I think I got quite scared about people looking in at night . ''
The journey of her father , Bernat Klein , to the Borders was a long one .
He was born in what was then Yugoslavia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to study textiles at Leeds University in 1945 .
He eventually ended up working in Edinburgh before being transferred to southern Scotland , which was initially `` a bit of a shock '' .
But he and his wife Margaret , who was known as Peggy , came to love the area and chose it as the location for their unique home .
The property was also at the heart of the fashion industry , as Mr Klein worked with the likes of Chanel , Dior , Pierre Cardin and Yves Saint Laurent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shows in the house , '' recalled Shelley .
`` All the fashion editors would be flown up from London and we 'd have catwalk shows in the house and things , which was great fun . ''
However , as a child Shelley was more interested in friends who came from a farming background than she was in clothes .
She left the Borders in her late teens and worked in publishing in London , before living in Cornwall .
She returned to Scotland to look after her father following her mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in my 50s and that was quite difficult because he was very purist about what could and could n't come into the house , '' she said .
`` I had a lot of Victorian furniture which he threw his hands up in horror at .
`` So we had our little battles in later life with me looking after him . ''
She described it as a good relationship , if occasionally fiery .
`` We both gave as good as we got , '' she said .
`` He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things looked and it made him very uncomfortable if things did n't look right .
`` His immediate environment was very important to him but he was an incredibly generous , funny man - and then also very difficult because of this single-minded vision . ''
Shelley said there was one trait in particular she had not inherited .
`` I am not the most neat person and he was fastidiously tidy , so living with me was quite difficult for him in his house because I do seem to leave trails of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she said .
`` He found it very difficult - we both had to learn patience .
`` He would drive me insane tidying up immediately after me if I was cooking or something .
I would turn round and the thing I was looking for was gone . ''
When her father died in 2014 , the family realised the house was too big for Ms Klein to stay in alone and , eventually , decided to part company with their `` see-through '' home .
`` It took me about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to put it on the market and saying goodbye to it was heart-breaking , I ca n't put it any other way , '' said Shelley .
`` But we have found some wonderful people who have bought it , hopefully they are enjoying it as much as we did . ''

"I am not the most neat person and he was fastidiously tidy, so living with me was quite difficult for him in his house because I do seem to leave trails of destruction behind me wherever I go," she said.


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Newspaper headlines: Care home deaths and 'Testing! Testing! Testing!'

Several front pages feature images of NHS workers joining in a minute 's silence to remember their colleagues lost to the pandemic .
At Southend Hospital , staff stand alongside the shoes that will never again be filled .
`` Never Forgotten '' is the headline in the Sun .
For Daily Telegraph columnist Judith Woods , `` the lowering gunmetal skies reflected the sombre mood below '' as `` Britain looked on in deep and humbling gratitude '' to those who `` died while keeping us alive '' .
Meanwhile , the Times raises fears that care homes could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than hospitals .
The NHS Confederation tells the paper the care system must be reformed , to ensure residents are n't treated as `` second-class citizens '' .
The Daily Mirror accuses the government of `` creating death traps '' by `` parachuting '' hospital patients into homes without tests and failing to provide staff with proper personal protective equipment ( PPE ) , while the Guardian says protecting care homes must now be its top priority .
The Metro describes the new death rate for Covid-19 as `` worse than the Blitz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people who have died in London over the past four weeks is higher than the worst nights of bombing in the World War Two .
With people showing cancer symptoms being urged not to put off seeing their GP , there 's a warning in the Daily Mail that the `` old enemy '' of cancer presents a `` still greater danger '' than Covid-19 .
The NHS National Clinical Director , Prof Peter Johnson , writes that people are still dying from cancers , and he insists that cancer care can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra burden on the NHS .
The Daily Telegraph reports that public health officials in Switzerland have announced it 's safe for children under 10 to hug their grandparents again - because scientists there have concluded that young children pose no risk of coronavirus infection .
The Royal College of Paediatrics in the UK has said it would need much more data before issuing similar advice .
Elsewhere , John Rentoul for the Independent accuses Boris Johnson of playing mind games , ahead of his first potential clash with Sir Keir Starmer as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson has carried out `` the equivalent of sledging '' by refusing to confirm whether or not he will take part in Prime Minister 's Questions later , and says it shows he views the new leader of the opposition as a serious rival .
The city of York , says the Guardian , is famous for its `` narrow snickelways and labyrinthine lanes '' that attract millions of tourists each year .
Now retailers are said to be planning to introduce a one-way system in streets like The Shambles to ensure social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The city is also considering a ban on selfies outside their storefronts .
England 's chief medical officer , Prof Chris Whitty , is reported by the Daily Telegraph to have become an unlikely muse for the UK 's artists .
His `` now familiar face '' , it says , `` has been sculpted in clay and depicted on canvases across the country '' .
The chief curator at the National Portrait Gallery suggests he presents a `` very reassuring figure '' - and says the institution is thinking of acquiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ credits itself with a `` lifesaving campaign '' to fly in 150,000 protective coveralls and masks for NHS staff .
It shows what it says is a Dreamliner aircraft `` crammed '' with a million pounds worth of PPE sourced from China by the charity it helped set up .
The Daily Telegraph suggests ministers have relaxed one of the five key criteria that must be met before the lockdown can be lifted .
The paper says the aim now is to prevent a new wave of infections `` that overwhelm the NHS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called for avoiding a second peak altogether .
It says the change in policy is one of the `` increasing signs that Boris Johnson is preparing to water down restrictions within days '' .
The Financial Times , however , says experts who 've assessed whether Britain is close to passing the five tests have found `` faltering '' progress , suggesting ministers will have to take a `` cautious '' approach to any relaxation .
In the Daily Express , the Culture Secretary , Oliver Dowden , urges the British public to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May .
He describes the country as being `` in the middle of a different battle '' , and writes that `` while we can not come together in person , we can still stand as one virtually '' .
The paper foresees a day when we will similarly `` celebrate victory over Covid-19 '' .
Finally , the Financial Times says the skies have darkened for aviation with the news that British Airways is to cut almost 30 % of its staff .
The announcement , it believes , will `` sound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it signals that the coronavirus outbreak is likely to scar parts of the economy even after lockdown restrictions are lifted '' .

The Daily Telegraph suggests ministers have relaxed one of the five key criteria that must be met before the lockdown can be lifted. The paper says the aim now is to prevent a new wave of infections "that overwhelm the NHS", when the guidance had previously called for avoiding a second peak altogether. It says the change in policy is one of the "increasing signs that Boris Johnson is preparing to water down restrictions within days".


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: The Range staff say social distancing 'ignored'

Staff working for The Range store chain have said they are terrified of catching coronavirus because customers are not adhering to social distancing .
The Range has been able to remain open because it sells essential goods such as food .
One employee said : `` I 'm scared , I 'm terrified .
But nobody cares . ''
A spokesman for The Range said the firm was `` tightly adhering to all social distancing government guidance '' and had put measures in place to protect staff .
The Range , which has 180 stores nationwide , sells home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some food .
When the government announced the temporary closure of many shops as part of the lockdown , home and hardware stores and shops selling groceries were among those able to remain open .
But staff at The Range , who spoke to the BBC on the condition of anonymity , said customers had been shopping for non-essential items such as spas , barbecues and cushions .
One employee , who works in a London store , said after an initial rush on essential items `` people were then coming back for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ displays for their living rooms and all sorts of things which were n't essential items '' .
'Why do you need a spa ? '
Another staff member said : `` I ca n't really blame the customers , I blame the management , the owners for being open .
`` The government guidelines are not strict enough as far as I am concerned . ''
Another employee said : `` I do n't understand why people ca n't realise this is a pandemic , this is killing people .
`` Why do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a spa ? ''
The Range said essential sales had outstripped non-essential sales in stores , in contrast with previous years .
Labour 's leader in the House of Lords , Baroness Smith , said she had been contacted by employees from the chain .
`` These are people who want to work , they want to keep their jobs , '' she said .
`` But they want to work safely . ''
Baroness Smith has backed a call by the Trades Union Congress ( TUC ) for an enforcement body to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down companies that do not comply with social distancing - similar to arrangements already in place in Wales , Scotland and Northern Ireland .
The Range , owned by Plymouth-born billionaire Chris Dawson , is not the only store of its type to be trading during lockdown .
At branches visited by the BBC , staff were encouraging social distancing .
However , at the firm 's flagship Plymouth store , staff were also directing customers to disinfect their hands with what turned out to be floor cleaner .
The product is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no evidence it kills coronavirus .
The Range said it was supposed to be used on baskets only and staff would now carry out basket sanitisation .
One shopper in Paignton , Paul Woodhams , said he lived nearby and had gone in for bread and milk but left because it was `` not worth the risk '' .
`` It is just so busy in there , you ca n't help but walk into people , '' he said .
`` I imagine it is a nightmare for the staff . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Workers ( Usdaw ) said employees of The Range had been in contact .
General secretary Paddy Lillis said he had written to the company asking for a meeting to look at essential safety measures `` as a matter of urgency '' .
A spokesman for The Range said the store had been classed as an essential retailer by the UK government and continued to open to serve customers `` in these challenging times '' .
`` In doing so we are tightly adhering to all social distancing government guidance , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controlling customer numbers , floor markings , till screens , cleaning and PPE , he said .
The spokesman said staff and customer safety `` is our priority '' .
He said The Range 's adherence to the government 's guidance had been acknowledged by regional authorities and other independent checks .
`` We remain very proud of the measures we have taken and the excellent work by our people in enforcing it , '' he added .
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Baroness Smith has backed a call by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) for an enforcement body to be set up with powers to shut down companies that do not comply with social distancing - similar to arrangements already in place in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Lockdown will ease 'when time right for NI'

Health Minister Robin Swann has said steps will be taken to come out of lockdown when the `` time is right '' for Northern Ireland .
Mr Swann said that they could come at a different time to other parts of the UK and the Republic of Ireland .
He said the executive was currently talking about what steps would be taken , rather than when they would be .
Mr Swann also said he was concerned that complacency regarding current coronavirus restrictions is setting in .
The latest figures published by the Department of Health on Tuesday afternoon showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Northern Ireland .
That brings the total number of deaths to 329 , although this figure , which relates mainly to hospital fatalities , is likely to rise .
There were also 34 more cases of coronavirus diagnosed in NI , bringing the number of confirmed cases to 3,408 .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak • STRESS : How to look after your mental health '' While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United Kingdom , across this island , it 's about the timing that we have to get right , '' he told BBC NI 's Good Morning Ulster on Wednesday .
`` Four or five weeks ago , we were seven to 10 days behind where London was on the curve , on the spread of the virus .
`` So it would n't make sense for us to be coming out of lockdown at the same time as London .
`` It 's about doing what 's right for Northern Ireland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Mr Swann added : `` The timing has to be based on where we are in regards to the virus and where the virus spread is in Northern Ireland .
`` The conversation that the executive is having at this time , is what those steps will look like rather than focussing on the time that they should happen . ''
He said if a date is set it could increase complacency as people `` rush to that date '' .
The health minister said reports of increasing traffic on the roads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that people 's actions still mattered in terms of containing the virus .
`` We 've had the indicators that there 's fewer people being admitted to hospital because of Covid-19 , we have fewer people in the ICU , '' he said .
`` But that 's because of the actions that were taken by people three weeks ago . ''
Mr Swann said that the latest figures for Covid-linked deaths in Northern Ireland included all those of people who had tested positive for Covid in the last 28 days , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he was currently talking to the NI Statistics Research Agency ( NISRA ) about getting more up to date figures for all deaths .
The health minister also said work was under way to make sure those eligible for testing were tested .
`` We have the capacity , we have increased our capacity to actually over that 1,100 that we promised , but it 's getting now that test capacity filled and making sure those people who know they 're eligible to be tested are actually coming forward to the testing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
He said in some other countries there was a delay of one or two weeks from tests being taken to results coming back .
`` If we 're taking that delay in actually getting results out , we 're actually undermining the value of that test , '' Mr Swann said .
He said the Department of Heath was looking at a life assurance scheme similar to the one in England and Wales for health and social care front line workers who die with coronavirus .
Mr Swann said he wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone who has stepped up and is working on the front line '' , not just those who have pension schemes .
`` £60,000 is the figure I think that has been looked at in England , its not a figure we have finalised yet here in Northern Ireland , '' he said .

He said: "If you have a church where you can't facilitate social distancing but people want to come together, could you have a drive-in church so people don't get out of their cars but can still come together?


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Welsh health minister refuses to expand care home testing

Wales will not follow England in providing tests to all care home residents and workers , the Welsh health minister has said .
The Welsh NHS is providing testing to residents and staff who have symptoms , but not those who do not .
The policy was expanded in England on Tuesday .
But Mr Gething told BBC Radio Wales he had been given advice that testing everyone in the sector was not the best use of resources .
He said the policy could be reconsidered as `` evidence '' develops .
There have been 184 deaths so far in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stats on coronavirus in Wales On BBC Radio Wales Breakfast with Claire Summers , Mario Kreft of Care Forum Wales , alleged that the sector was being seen as `` collateral damage '' in the UK widely , as well as in Wales .
The health minister said he would never consider care homes in that way .
Who is being tested in Wales ?
The staff and residents of care homes in England can now be tested for coronavirus , even if they do n't have any symptoms , while anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested .
But so far the Welsh Government has not made a similar announcement in Wales .
For the time being , other than people in hospital with symptoms , only critical workers with symptoms can be tested .
They include frontline staff like health workers , emergency staff , transport workers and others .
Find out who can be tested in Wales here Asked if the Welsh NHS would provide the additional testing promised by the UK government in England for the sector , Mr Gething said : `` No .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position which is that we are testing everyone who is symptomatic ; care home staff and residents .
`` As the evidence base develops we will , of course , reconsider what our policy position is . ''
He said in the future Wales would need a `` bigger testing infrastructure '' to undertake larger community testing and tracing of the virus .
But the minister added that he had `` pretty clear advice '' that `` the best use of our testing resources is not to simply test anyone and everyone in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has set a target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of April .
Mr Gething said the English NHS was `` trying to meet '' that target .
Welsh ministers have abandoned a previous target of 5,000 tests a day .
It is currently has a capacity of 2,000 a day .
`` They 're using the spare capacity they 've got , '' Mr Gething said .
`` We 're still targeting our resources where they 're going to make the biggest difference . ''
Mr Kreft said : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the policy to date , it would appear that despite a lot of people doing great work , the care home sector in the UK and in Wales is almost seen as collateral damage .
`` What we now need to do is make sure people in the care sector are protected , and in particular we need to ensure that safe discharge from hospital is effected through proper testing . ''
He said a route of infection had been through people released from hospital .
Calling for all residents to be tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Health Wales `` have not engaged the care sector in the way they should have done early enough '' .
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"Care home managers have told me that they need testing in order to be able to receive the information they need to prevent the spread of the virus, so the health minister's decision contradicts what the sector is desperately calling for."


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Deadline day for 100,000 tests pledge

The government is facing the deadline for its daily coronavirus testing target of 100,000 per day , after reaching just over 52,000 on Tuesday .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock pledged to reach the goal by the end of April .
A scientist advising the government on testing , Prof John Newton , said he is confident the target will be met , but warned there will be a lag in the data .
Meanwhile , the PM is set to lead the daily Downing Street briefing later , following his return to work this week .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country 's fight against this disease and the steps we are taking to defeat it '' , his spokesman said .
However , BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the PM will not give `` chapter and verse on exactly how and when the country 's doors will re-open '' .
• Can you compare different countries ?
• Coronavirus 'as deadly as Ebola in hospital' • The hidden health cost of the pandemic The government 's chief scientific adviser , Sir Patrick Vallance , and chief medical officer , Prof Chris Whitty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefing .
Mr Johnson , who has just recovered from coronavirus , returned to work in Downing Street on Tuesday following the birth of his son with his fiancee Carrie Symonds .
It comes as the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies ( Sage ) , which is working on a range of options for easing lockdown restrictions , will meet on Thursday .
The lockdown is due to be reviewed on 7 May .
Earlier this week , Mr Johnson said the lockdown would not be relaxed too soon and details on any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` coming days '' .
At Wednesday 's press conference , Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he `` did not know '' whether the five tests for lifting lockdown had been met and warned that the country was at a `` delicate and dangerous moment in this challenge '' .
He said that the UK was still `` coming through the peak '' of the virus and called for people to maintain social distancing measures `` until we are out of the woods '' .
What 's next ?
The prime minister will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on exactly how and when the country 's doors will re-open .
But after meeting his cabinet virtually , Boris Johnson will seek to explain to the public how and why , if not exactly when , they will make the decisions that are vital , not just to our health , but the country 's suffering economy too .
He 'll restate the hurdles that must be passed before any restrictions are lifted , including making sure the NHS can cope , with tests , and equipment , and a consistent fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will emphasise the importance of the so-called `` R '' rate of infection - in other words , the extent to which people with the virus are passing it on .
That rate has come down significantly since the lockdown was imposed , slowing the spread of the disease .
But Mr Johnson will outline how the `` R '' rate will be a crucial yardstick of whether to lift , or even reinstate , restrictions as the weeks go on .
The health secretary set out the government 's daily testing target @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even though Mr Johnson initially identified the aim to carry out 250,000 tests a day .
The latest figures announced during Wednesday 's briefing showed 52,429 people were tested for Covid-19 in the UK on Tuesday , despite Mr Hancock announcing a massive expansion of the groups eligible for testing earlier in the week .
Ministers say that there is capacity for about 73,000 tests per day , and Downing Street has repeatedly said it is aiming to reach its target by Thursday .
• Why does the UK need 100,000 tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of public health improvement for Public Health England ( PHE ) , said on Wednesday that he was `` pretty confident we will hit that target . ''
He said there would be a lag due to receiving the data but it would be clear whether the government has reached the target by the end of the week .
In the Commons on Wednesday , Mr Raab said the 250,000 tests a day target remained `` an aspiration '' in response to questions from Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer .
Later in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted there had been a `` distribution issue '' in getting tests for care home staff and residents .
He said : `` We have expanded the eligibility - eligibility now includes anyone in a care home , whether resident or staff .
`` We have obviously had a distribution issue , there is no sugar coating the challenge we have had with that . ''
But he said the government was now doing `` everything we possibly can '' to improve supply and delivery .
People over 65 and anyone who can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions able to apply for a coronavirus test if they have symptoms , under the government 's expanded testing programme .
The expansion in eligibility beyond just essential workers and hospital patients means 25 million people can now book through the government 's test-booking website .
Some 14,700 home tests and 33,000 drive-through appointments were booked on Wednesday .
The total number of people who have died in the UK with coronavirus has now passed 26,000 , as official figures include deaths in the community , such as in care homes , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of counting includes retrospective deaths since the beginning of March .

Asked about reports the lockdown may be extended until June, the prime minister's official spokesman said: "What you've obviously heard from [the UK's chief medical adviser] Chris Whitty is that this is a disease that is going to be around for a significant amount of time - he's said we have to be realistic, we're going to have to do a lot of things for a long period of time."


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Captain Tom Moore given colonel title on 100th birthday

Captain Tom Moore , who raised more than £29m for the NHS by walking laps of his garden , has been made an honorary colonel on his 100th birthday .
The war veteran will mark the occasion with thousands of birthday cards , including one from the Queen .
He said it was `` extraordinary '' to be turning 100 , especially with `` this many well-wishers '' .
Head of the Army General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith called Capt Tom `` an inspirational role model '' .
Capt Tom is due to spend the majority of the day self-isolating with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at his home in Marston Moretaine , Bedfordshire .
He said he would also speak to other family members via the internet .
As well as receiving a personalised card from the Queen , Capt Tom will be made an honorary England cricketer by former captain Michael Vaughan .
Capt Tom will be informed of his promotion to honorary colonel in a letter presented by Lt Col Thomas Miller , commanding officer of the 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment , at his home .
The Army said Chief of the General Staff , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Capt Tom 's `` mature wisdom , no-nonsense attitude and humour in adversity make him an inspirational role model to generations young and old '' .
• Captain Tom Moore : How the war veteran captured our hearts • Captain Tom Moore : How will coronavirus fundraising be spent ?
The centenarian , who will now be entitled to use the rank of colonel , was also presented with a replacement Second World War Defence Medal ahead of next week 's VE Day celebrations .
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Capt Tom `` simply inspirational '' .
`` He not only embodies the spirit of our incredible veteran community , but the resolve of this nation , '' he added .
• Born in Keighley , in what was then the West Riding of Yorkshire , on 30 April 1920 • He attended the town 's grammar school before completing an apprenticeship in civil engineering • Capt Tom joined the army at the beginning of World War Two , serving in India and Myanmar , then known as Burma • After the war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fighting Vehicle School in Bovington , Dorset • He lived in Kent before moving to Bedfordshire to be with his youngest daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore and her family in 2007 • In 2018 , he received treatment for skin cancer of the head , and a broken hip after a fall • In April , he was inspired to help the health service by completing 100 laps of the patio before his 100th birthday On Tuesday , transport secretary Grant Shapps announced Capt Tom 's birthday would be marked with an RAF flypast .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` celebrate Captain Tom 's birthday and mark his amazing fundraising achievement '' .
The Department for Transport had blocked an earlier plan for a flypast of his home organised by a Spitfire restoration firm , as it was deemed `` non-essential '' .
Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar had organised a flypast involving a Mark IX Spitfire , but was denied permission to complete the flight .
Instead , its aircraft will fly on a circuit around Biggin Hill Airfield , near Croydon , during the evening to coincide with the weekly Clap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also celebrate his birthday as a chart-topper .
His cover of You 'll Never Walk Alone took the top spot last week , making him the oldest person ever to score a number one single in the UK .
His partner on the song , Michael Ball , will sing happy birthday to him in the morning .
Volunteers had to be called in to open tens of thousands of cards sent to Capt Tom , who served in India and Burma ( now Myanmar ) during World War Two .
An estimated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on show at Bedford School , where his grandson , Benjie Ingram-Moore , is a pupil .
Many of the envelopes on the cards will be stamped with a special Royal Mail postmark .
All stamped post up until Friday was being marked with : `` Happy 100th Birthday Captain Thomas Moore NHS fundraising hero 30th April 2020 . ''
The cards even travelled through a dedicated collection box at the South Midlands Mail Centre .
Centre manager Stephen James said : `` None of the team have ever known one person receive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mail is also set to unveil a special postbox in Capt Tom 's honour .
Painted `` NHS blue '' and featuring a golden balloon and birthday greeting , it will be located in Bedford Road , close to where he lives .
Capt Tom has also been honoured by having two trains named after him .
The Great Western Railway intercity express train 800025 goes into service on Thursday .
Matthew Golton , from the company , said : `` With his indomitable spirit what Captain Tom has achieved is truly inspirational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 129-tonne , Class 66 freight locomotive would be named Captain Tom Moore , with the added inscription `` A true British inspiration '' .
Capt Tom 's fundraising feats have inspired a host of artists to honour him with their own creative tributes , including garage murals , patchwork collages , knitted dolls and balloon figurines .
The BBC 's Make A Difference project has also been encouraging people to take photographs of themselves saluting the war veteran .
These will be combined to make a mosaic to be presented to him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the knowledge the huge amount of money he raised will be going to NHS Charities Together .
Capt Tom , who was recently treated for a broken hip and skin cancer , initially aimed to rise £1,000 and said he set about raising the money `` for the sake of the nurses and the NHS we have , because they are doing such a magnificent job '' .
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"We cannot thank him enough for all that he's achieved and we wish him a very happy birthday, and look forward to continuing to ensure that what he's done is used to improve the lives of the NHS staff and volunteers that are giving so much to their communities at the moment," she said.


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Child abuse calls to NSPCC up 20% since lockdown

There has been an almost 20 % rise in calls to the NSPCC since the start of the coronavirus lockdown from adults concerned about child abuse .
Figures show calls about children facing potential emotional abuse rose from 529 to 792 in the first month since government measures were imposed .
Calls could be from neighbours , extended family or delivery drivers .
Overall calls rose from 1,867 in the four weeks before lockdown to 2,216 between 23 March and 19 April .
The NSPCC fear lockdown could be intensifying abuse as schools and other spaces remain closed .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screaming and shouting '' from a neighbour 's home .
`` I approached the boy and asked if he was OK and he replied , 'Does it look like I 'm OK ? '
'' they said .
• ' I sometimes wonder how I managed to survive' Bethan , not her real name , suffered emotional and physical abuse from her father .
After a recent car crash , she was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder which brought back the traumatic memories of childhood .
From the age of six , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It would be anywhere from a slap to a push down the stairs , it was always forceful , '' Bethan , who lives in north Wales , said He would ensure marks never showed .
Bethan recalled her hand being put on a table and , using a knife , her father would stab the knife into the spaces between her fingers , increasing the speed as he did .
`` That was an emotional trick because you knew as soon as you flinched you were getting stabbed , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` would n't think twice '' about holding a knife across her throat .
`` It was his way , I think , of having that control over you .
When it 's happening on a daily basis , you just get accustomed to it and it 's just normal . ''
Bethan is concerned for those experiencing similar issues at home now .
`` To be stuck inside at a point like this , it 's got to be terrifying , and it just gives me chills to even think about being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that home for so long , '' she said .
The new figures come as the British Association of Social Workers ( BASW ) said personal protective equipment ( PPE ) access for its frontline workers was still `` patchy '' across England , Wales and Scotland and was `` having an impact on how the profession is able to function '' .
BASW is concerned social workers are struggling to get into homes , due to a combination of a lack of staffing , PPE and social distancing .
Allison Hulmes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` We are concerned that social workers are struggling to get into homes , and what the potential impact of that may be in future . ''
NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless said : `` The longer the lockdown goes on , the more intense and at-risk children are if they are invisible to the outside world .
`` Reports we 're getting around emotional abuse , in particular , are rising so that is troubling . ''
Health and social care are devolved across the four home nations .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` paramount '' and social services teams have `` remained in close contact '' with those they support .
`` Where social workers are working in environments where social distancing can not be maintained , a risk assessment on the use of PPE should be undertaken , '' a spokesman said .
The Scottish Government said it had `` agreed an improved model to extend access to NHS stocks of PPE to all social care staff . ''
while the UK Government said it was `` working around the clock to ensure PPE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those on the frontline '' .
BASW said the PPE situation was different in Northern Ireland as social workers were employed by the health trusts .

"To be stuck inside at a point like this, it's got to be terrifying, and it just gives me chills to even think about being back in that position and being stuck in that home for so long," she said.


bbcuk--2020-04-30--Coronavirus: Jury trials face 'biggest change since WW2'

Coronavirus could prompt the biggest changes to jury trials since World War Two , the head of judiciary in England and Wales has told the BBC .
Social distancing could mean fewer jurors at trials and sittings moved to bigger buildings such as university lecture theatres , said Lord Chief Justice , Lord Burnett .
Jury trials across the UK were halted in March due to the virus .
`` Blue-sky thinking '' on restarting them safely is ongoing , said Lord Burnett .
If social distancing lasts for months , Lord Burnett warned : `` It is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures to enable jury trials to continue .
`` I would support a move to reduce the number of jurors .
That was done during the Second World War .
`` Plainly , it would be easier to ensure a safe trial for everybody , with social distancing and other precautions . ''
Jury trials involve at least 20 people , but often considerably more , in one relatively confined courtroom .
Currently , 12 jurors sit in trials in England , Wales and Northern Ireland , and 15 in Scotland .
During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduced to seven , except in cases of treason or murder .
So , any reduction would be the first in peacetime .
A working group chaired by Mr Justice Edis and including the Law Society , Bar Council and Criminal Bar Association , is meeting weekly to consider how and when jury trials might resume safely in England and Wales .
Lord Burnett believes any resumption soon would require identifying `` very large courtrooms where it 's possible to envisage participants maintaining social distancing .
`` It involves having another courtroom available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public can view what 's going on .
And it involves having a large room to which the jury can retire and maintain social distancing . ''
However , many existing court buildings are unsuitable and , asked about using venues like university lecture halls instead , he said the use of large venues is being considered .
`` Given the limited number of trials that we would be able to conduct in our crown courts , given that every trial will in fact require more than one court for all sorts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thinking will be needed to avoid building up an unimaginable backlog , '' Lord Burnett added .
Under lockdown , cases are backing up in a system already beset by delays caused in part by the government reducing Crown Court sitting days in England and Wales .
By the end of 2019 the number of outstanding cases had reached 37,434 , official figures show .
Delays prolong anxiety for victims , pose a risk to justice as witnesses ' memories fade , and keep those on remand in prison for longer .
Lord @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is safe to do so , to `` get through the backlog of jury trials '' .
`` I 've no reason to suppose that that is going to be a controversial proposal , and I hope it will become common ground across the political spectrum , that resources should be made available to enable that to happen . ''
Geoffrey Robertson QC favours allowing defendants to elect to be tried by a judge alone to help ease the current crisis .
While the human rights group Justice believes safe social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It has run a series of `` virtual '' mock jury trials to test viability and safety .
Academic evaluation has so far been positive , with Justice Secretary Robert Buckland QC , telling the Joint Committee on Human Rights that the work merited `` careful scrutiny '' .
Nothing , it seems , on the future of jury trials , is entirely off the table .
Whatever mechanisms are found to get the criminal justice system back on its feet , lawyers will be needed to service cases but many fear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The latest Bar Council survey found 31 % of criminal barristers may not be in practice in chambers within three months ; 87 % will not last six months and 88 % will not last a year .
And things are no better for solicitors ' firms .
`` I 've had to furlough 18 staff , '' said Ian Kelcey , a partner in Kelcey & Hall Solicitors in Bristol , and co-chair of Law Society Criminal Law Committee .
`` The downturn in work has been phenomenal .
Our cashflow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get a bit back through furlough but still have to pay costs including rent , utility bills , professional indemnity insurance and IT contracts . ''
He believes most firms have a maximum of three months before they face very serious financial trouble .
`` There is a real risk that in the long term 70-80 % of criminal legal aid firms will disappear , leaving vast areas of the country with no legal aid criminal defence solicitors available to represent people in either police stations or in court . ''
The legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government , but is seeking far more significant support .
Responding to Lord Burnett 's comments on the future of jury trials , a Ministry of Justice spokesperson said officials were `` working closely with the judiciary and others to resume them as soon as possible '' .
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"Given the limited number of trials that we would be able to conduct in our crown courts, given that every trial will in fact require more than one court for all sorts of reasons, then inevitably rather more profound thinking will be needed to avoid building up an unimaginable backlog," Lord Burnett added.


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Schools will reopen in phases, says Williamson

The reopening of schools in England is expected to take place in a `` phased manner '' , says the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson .
He told the Education Select Committee the date for opening would depend on scientific advice - but schools would get `` as much notice as possible '' .
But when pupils start returning it could just be for some year groups .
`` All schools returning on day one with a full complement of pupils would not be realistic , '' he told MPs .
With schools closed by the coronavirus outbreak , the education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re-opening and how to support the disadvantaged , while pupils were meant to be learning online from home .
• 'In our schools 60 % to 70 % would n't have laptops at home' • Emergency food for those caught up in voucher scheme delays Committee chair Robert Halfon warned of a `` wave of educational poverty '' that could come from the lockdown .
Speaking to an online session of the select committee , Mr Williamson said he was keen for schools to return as soon as was safely possible because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Every child is going to have suffered from not being in school , '' he told MPs .
But he said it would be a staged return , with schools given `` proper notice '' to prepare .
`` When we bring schools back - and I think everyone wants to see schools returning - they will return in a phased manner , '' said Mr Williamson , as all pupils going back at once would not be `` realistic or practical '' .
There were no details from the education secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But last week , Geoff Barton , leader of the ASCL head teachers ' union suggested that Years 6 , 10 and 12 might go back first , with 1 June the earliest realistic date .
A limit on pupil numbers in school would be necessary to maintain social distancing , said the heads ' leader , which could mean only some year groups going back or pupils rotating between studying at home and in school .
The timing will be part of a wider , cross-government plan , Mr Williamson told MPs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Advisory Group for Emergencies ( Sage ) considering how to re-open schools .
The education secretary said he did not expect this term to be extended into the summer holidays - although committee member David Simmonds suggested some schools were already planning to open over the summer to help pupils catch up .
The experience of other countries where some schools have opened , such as Germany and Denmark , would be taken into consideration , said the education secretary .
In Wales , Education Minister Kirsty Williams has also indicated that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allowing schools to open .
Mary Bousted , joint leader of the National Education Union , highlighted ongoing challenges for staffing in schools when it was safe to re-open '' All staff with underlying health conditions or who are vulnerable will need to be at home so timetables will be tricky and the full curriculum simply impossible , '' said Dr Bousted .
`` We will need an extended , flexible recovery plan , and no one should be under any illusion that there is some catch-up magic bullet . ''
Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lend laptops to disadvantaged pupils studying at home - saying there would be 200,000 laptops , with the first expected to be delivered by the end of May , with most arriving in June .
This would help to address the `` digital divide '' in terms of access to computer technology .
Mr Williamson said he had been in discussions with the BBC about putting schools programmes on television , which could help those without internet connections or unable to afford mobile phone data .
The education secretary was challenged by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meal voucher scheme .
Ian Mearns said school staff were spending `` hours and hours '' trying to resolve problems with the food voucher system being administered by Edenred .
He said there were `` horror stories '' from schools about a computer system that did not seem to have capacity to cope - with teachers having to find their own ways to get food to young people .
Mr Williamson recognised there had been `` big challenges '' and the level of service was not what was expected .

Mr Williamson gave more details of the scheme to lend laptops to disadvantaged pupils studying at home - saying there would be 200,000 laptops, with the first expected to be delivered by the end of May, with most arriving in June.


bbcuk--2020-04-30--Wood Green fire: Residents evacuated from flats

About 20 people were evacuated from their homes when a large fire broke out at a block of flats in @ @ @ @ @ Fire Brigade said 70 firefighters and 10 engines were sent to tackle the blaze on @ @ @ @ @ , on Wednesday night .
Flames spread to the roof of the four-storey building before @ @ @ @ @ control shortly after midnight , the brigade said .
Three people were treated by paramedics @ @ @ @ @ added .
Footage posted online appeared to show flames emerging from the roof of the @ @ @ @ @ a council-owned block .
A number of those sharing images of the blaze said the @ @ @ @ @ one of the maisonettes .

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bbcuk--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Bill and Mary Dartnall die on same day

A husband and wife who died on the same day after more than 60 years together were `` special people '' , their family has said .
Bill Dartnall , 90 , died hours after his wife Mary , 81 , at Southampton General Hospital on Easter Sunday .
Both had tested positive for coronavirus .
Their daughter Rosemary said her father had declined further oxygen treatment after learning of his wife 's death .
She added he `` did n't want to be here without Mum '' .
The couple , who had been married for 63 years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home at the Holiday Inn hotel in Southampton when Mrs Dartnall was taken ill and brought into hospital at the end of March .
Mr Dartnall suffered a stroke and was admitted to hospital days later where he also tested positive for coronavirus .
After Mrs Dartnall died on Easter Sunday , Rosemary said her father , who was in the same ward , refused to wear an oxygen mask and died peacefully several hours later .
`` They came as a pair - my dad would be certain he would n't want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms Dartnall said .
`` They were a team .
Life was n't always a bed of roses but they got through it together and they left us together .
`` It 's horrible enough to lose your parents , but being separated and not being able to be with them and hold their hands at the end of their lives has been very hard . ''
Ms Dartnall said her parents were `` enterprising , hardworking and always did things a bit differently '' .
`` They were quite special people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and were blessed with a can-do attitude to life , '' she added .
Her sister Ann said her parents set up a chimney sweeping business after Mr Dartnall stopped working on banana boats to South Africa .
She described her father as a `` practical genius '' .
`` He was the go-to chimney sweep in Southampton - if you had a chimney that no-one else could sweep , he could do it . ''
The couple later developed a passion for beekeeping with Mrs Dartnall going on to become president of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farmers to limit chemical spraying to protect bees .
The sisters are planning a memorial for their parents to `` celebrate their lives properly '' after the lockdown restrictions are lifted .
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"It's horrible enough to lose your parents, but being separated and not being able to be with them and hold their hands at the end of their lives has been very hard."


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Ilford stabbing: Man arrested over stabbed toddler and three-year-old

A man has been arrested after a one-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy were stabbed to death in east London .
Pavinya Nithiyakumar , aged 19 months , and three-year-old Nigish Nithiyakumar , were both found with stab wounds in Aldborough Road North in Ilford at about 17:30 BST on Sunday .
Pavinya was pronounced dead at the scene and Nigish was taken to hospital , but died shortly after arrival .
He has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of the two children and remains under police guard in hospital .
The Met Police said all three were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths .
The children 's next of kin have been told of their deaths and their mother is being supported by specially trained officers , a police spokesman said .
Det Ch Insp Vicky Tunstall said : `` The ending of these innocent young lives is extraordinarily tragic and we are working hard to fully understand what may have caused this to happen .
`` Whilst I know the effects of this crime are reverberating throughout the local community , please be reassured that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( s ) in connection with the deaths and there is no cause for the community to be fearful or alarmed . ''
She asked for anyone with any information to come forward .
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"Whilst I know the effects of this crime are reverberating throughout the local community, please be reassured that we are not seeking any other person(s) in connection with the deaths and there is no cause for the community to be fearful or alarmed."


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Allegations investigated by GMB union as boss Tim Roache resigns

The GMB trade union has launched an investigation into allegations involving their departing General Secretary Tim Roache .
His decision to go was announced on Tuesday night and took many by surprise - not least some of the union 's most senior officials .
He had been re-elected to his post last year , having first being elected to the union 's most senior position in 2015 .
• Union 'not going for Formby ' , says GMB chief • Labour to report on anti-Semitism leak in July In statement on Wednesday night , the union said Mr Roache had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , also known as chronic fatigue syndrome ( CFS ) .
The union said medical professionals had now advised him to refrain from work and he did not feel mentally or physically able to continue to lead his organisation .
But the decision seemed to have coincided with what is thought to be a campaign by a group of people calling themselves `` concerned GMB staff and members , '' who were calling for him to be suspended from office .
The BBC has seen a letter sent to the union 's President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allegations about Mr Roache 's conduct , including an allegation of impropriety .
Mr Roache has not responded to calls from the BBC but in a statement , the union said : `` The GMB received an anonymous letter last Wednesday in which a number of allegations were made about Tim 's conduct .
`` An investigation has been launched .
It is not appropriate to comment further . ''
His departure comes soon after a change of Labour leadership and the leak , earlier this month , of an internal party document @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included messages seen as damaging to a former staff member who was being tipped in Labour circles as a future Labour general secretary .
Tim Roache and some of his senior GMB officials were seen as unhelpful by those close to the previous Labour leadership .
He backed a `` final say '' referendum on Brexit , and the union supported Owen Smith 's unsuccessful challenge to Jeremy Corbyn 's leadership in 2016 .
It also supported Lisa Nandy 's party leadership bid this year .
GMB members on Labour 's ruling National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party leadership at a recent meeting .
The question now is whether new leadership at the GMB will remain supportive of the new leadership of the Labour Party .
For the time being , the GMB regional secretary for Wales and South West , John Phillips , will become acting general secretary of GMB and the union has said it is `` considering a process and timetable '' to elect a permanent replacement as soon as practically possible .

But the decision seemed to have coincided with what is thought to be a campaign by a group of people calling themselves "concerned GMB staff and members," who were calling for him to be suspended from office.


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Godstone murder: Man, 88, died of head injury

An 88-year-old man whose body was found in a house in Surrey died of a head injury , a post @ @ @ @ @ His body was discovered at the property on Bletchingley Road in Godstone at about 11:00 @ @ @ @ @ man has not yet been formally identified , Surrey Police said .
Anyone who was @ @ @ @ @ area between Ivy Mill Lane and Knights Way between 10:00 and 15:00 BST on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ .
Ch Insp Alan Sproston said : `` The road is a well-travelled route which @ @ @ @ @ and cyclists , and we are also appealing to anyone who may have dashcam or @ @ @ @ @ touch with us as soon as possible . ''

Ch Insp Alan Sproston said: "The road is a well-travelled route which is also used by walkers and cyclists, and we are also appealing to anyone who may have dashcam or video footage to get in touch with us as soon as possible."


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Wetherspoons plans to open pubs in June

Wetherspoons plans to open pubs in June

British pub chain Wetherspoons has announced that it is planning to reopen its venues `` in or around '' June .
Wetherspoons chairman Tim Martin and chief executive John Hutson will be taking 50 % pay cuts , while other board members will also slash their salaries .
The pub chain said it is also considering taking out a government-backed loan of up to £50m .
The news follows criticism of Mr Martin who told staff to take a job at Tesco after his pubs closed their doors .
However , Wetherspoons has not outlined how it plans to reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not yet lifted lockdown restrictions or announced when that is likely to happen .
The BBC has approached Wetherspoons for comment .
`` The coronavirus outbreak is having a severe impact on the UK pub sector , '' said Mr Martin .
`` In these challenging times I would like to thank everyone at the company , its suppliers , landlords , banks and the government for their support and commitment .
We 've had to take significant action to reduce costs , decisions which have not been taken lightly .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hotels and welcoming back our teams in the near future . ''
• Wetherspoon boss tells staff to get a job at Tesco All of the chain 's 850 UK pubs were closed in March by the government announcement to shut bars and clubs to stop the spread of coronavirus .
The government has said it will pay 80 % of salaries for staff who are kept on by their employer , covering wages of up to £2,500 a month .
But Mr Martin faced a backlash after telling 43,000 workers in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should feel free to take jobs at retailers such as Tesco while Wetherspoons pubs remain closed .
He had come under pressure from 95 MPs , who signed a petition for him to pay his workers .
But the next day , Wetherspoons announced that it would be paying its staff , saying that it had been waiting for the government 's furlough payment scheme to kick in before issuing wages .
Wetherspoons said on Wednesday that it has furloughed 99 % of its workforce .
The pub chain said that it had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs and capital expenditure , as well as deferring a majority of rental payments due in March and deferring tax payments .
However , Wetherspoons is still looking at a bill of about £3m a month during the lockdown in order to cover topping up employee salaries and interest on existing loans .
The chain is however eligible for the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme and says it is considering applying for a loan .
As of 22 March 2020 , Wetherspoons had a net debt of £836m , up from £804.5m @ @ @ @ @

Mr Martin initially cited concerns that there could be some delay to the payment of any wage subsidy for his 43,000 workers until the government's furlough scheme kicked in, which may not have been until the end of April. In the meantime he suggested they should feel free to take jobs at retailers such as Tesco.


bbcuk--2020-04-30--Coronavirus R0: Is this the crucial number?

There is a simple , but crucial number at the heart of understanding the threat posed by the coronavirus .
It is guiding governments around the world on the actions they need to take to save lives and it gives us clues to the extent that lockdown can be lifted .
It is called the basic reproduction number or simply the R0 ( pronounced R-nought ) .
What is an R0 ?
The reproduction number is a way of rating a disease 's ability to spread .
It 's the number of people that one infected person will pass the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that nobody is immune and people do n't change their behaviour to avoid getting ill .
Measles has one of the highest numbers in town with a reproduction number of 15 .
It can cause explosive outbreaks .
The new coronavirus , known officially as Sars-CoV-2 , has a reproduction number of around 3 , but estimates vary .
Why is it important ?
If the reproduction number is higher than 1 , then the number of cases increases exponentially - it snowballs like debt on an unpaid credit card .
But if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then the disease will eventually peter out as not enough new people are being infected to sustain the outbreak .
The goal of governments around the world has been to force the reproduction number down from around 3 to below 1 .
This is the reason you 've not seen family , have to work from home and the children are off school .
The main tool governments have used is to stop people coming into contact with each other to cut the ability of virus to spread .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • IMPACT : What the virus does to the body • RECOVERY : How long does it take ?
• LOCKDOWN : How can we lift restrictions ?
• ENDGAME : How do we get out of this mess ?
What has happened in the UK ?
The reproduction number is not fixed for all time , instead it changes as our behaviour changes or as immunity to the virus develops .
Mathematical modellers at Imperial College London are attempting to track how the number has changed as isolation , social distancing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any measures were introduced the number was well above 1 , the conditions were ripe for a large outbreak .
Successive restrictions brought that figure down , but it was not until full lockdown that it was driven below that vital threshold of 1 .
It 's a bit technical , but by this point scientists refer to the Rt , rather than the R0 , as the number is changing over time .
The figure seems to be around 0.7 .
There is always some uncertainty in this type of work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confidence from government 's scientific advisors that the figure is below 1 overall .
The situation is different in some hospitals and care homes where the virus is spreading .
So how does this inform lifting lockdown ?
As countries think about how to lift lockdown , the aim will be to keep the reproduction number below 1 .
`` The reproduction number will be an important consideration , '' Dr Adam Kucharski , from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , told the BBC .
`` There is risk you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ territory , it 's a big challenge making sure you 're not loosening too much and increasing transmission . ''
However , there is an unwelcome fact in the reproduction number .
It has taken a monumental effort , that has caused damage to people 's lives , to get the number from 3 to 0.7 .
`` It does n't give you a lot of room to play with [ to keep it below 1 ] , '' Dr Kucharski added .
Earlier in April , Germany managed to get its reproduction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the UK 's now .
Prof Lothar Wieler , president of the country 's Robert Koch Institute , said the number had increased to 1 .
`` The number should stay below one , that is the big goal , '' he said .
Which measures could be lifted ?
Unfortunately there is not a manual that says definitively how much each intervention changes the ability of the virus to spread , although there are estimates .
`` Lockdown introduced all these measures at once so we have n't got a really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributes to the reduction , '' said Dr Kucharski .
He added : `` Opening schools versus workplaces versus other gatherings - understanding how much they increase the reproduction number is going to be the challenge . ''
Another issue is people 's behaviour changes over time too , which means the number can creep up even if the lockdown policies stay the same .
• Coronavirus lockdown : How can we lift restrictions ?
What is likely to be needed are new ways of controlling the virus , such as more extensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These can suppress the reproduction number in a more targeted way , allowing some of the other measures to be lifted .
Is it the most important number ?
The reproduction number is one of the big three .
Another is severity - if you have a very mild disease that does not cause many problems then you can relax a bit .
Coronavirus , and the disease it causes Covid-19 , is unfortunately severe and deadly .
The last is the number is the number of cases , which is important for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a high number of cases , but ease restrictions so the reproduction number is around 1 then you will continue to have a high number of cases .
Having a vaccine is another way of bring the reproduction number down .
A coronavirus patient would naturally infect three others on average , but if a vaccine could protect two of them from infection then the reproduction number would fall from 3 to 1 .

Before any measures came in, the R number was well above one and the conditions were ripe for a large outbreak. Successive restrictions brought it down, but it was not until full lockdown that it was driven below one.


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: How does contact tracing work and is my data safe?

Millions of people in the UK will soon be asked to track their movements to limit the spread of coronavirus .
The government is deploying 18,000 people to trace the contacts of those infected , and the wider public will be asked to get involved too .
So how does contact tracing work , do you have to take part - and what happens to your data ?
Contact tracing is a method used to slow down the spread of infectious outbreaks .
It is commonly used in sexual health clinics , when infected patients are told to contact anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the coronavirus pandemic , it means tracking down anyone sufferers have been in prolonged contact with , to potentially ask them to self-isolate .
This is often done through phone calls to the friends and family of coronavirus sufferers , complemented by an automated location-tracking mobile app .
Contact tracing is already being used extensively by various countries hit by coronavirus , including Hong Kong , Singapore and Germany .
The UK is planning to roll out its contact tracing app and phone team by the middle of May , in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have made new outbreaks easier to track .
• Coronavirus : UK contact-tracing app 'ready in two to three weeks' What will contact tracing look like in the UK ?
The 18,000-strong team will feature about 3,000 civil servants and health workers , and 15,000 call handlers .
They will ask coronavirus patients about their recent movements , and then contact anyone with whom they have had extended contact .
This telephone system will be used in tandem with a tracing app , available to download on smartphones in the next few weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracks when its users come into contact with each other , automating the laborious contact tracing process .
If a user develops coronavirus symptoms , it is up to them to let the app inform the NHS .
Their disclosure may trigger an anonymous alert to users with whom they recently had significant contact , again potentially asking those people to go into quarantine or be tested .
For those without smartphones , an alternative could be a Bluetooth-enabled wristband , like those being used in other countries to detect lockdown breaches .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracing has been credited with helping to lift restrictions in other countries , when combined with other measures .
South Korea never went into lockdown thanks to an early strategy of extensive tracing , combined with mass testing .
The nation not only asked citizens to recall their movements , it used credit card transactions , CCTV footage and mobile phone tracking to piece together where they had been .
After a daily peak of 900 cases , it is now diagnosing just a handful of new daily cases .
If adopted widely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK restrictions , although it is unlikely citizens will be tracked to that extent .
The UK government first attempted contact tracing early on in the outbreak , before there were too many cases for it to be effective .
However , less movement under lockdown means new outbreaks should now be easier to track .
Phone tracing can be very labour intensive and time consuming , with tracers in Ireland reporting making about 40 phone calls per infected person .
The mobile app is easier , but take-up will have to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supressed .
Academics advising the NHS estimate 80 % of smartphone users - 60 % of the population - would have to actively use it .
By comparison , about 67 % of UK smartphone users have downloaded messaging app WhatsApp .
People would also have to be honest about displaying any potential symptoms and inform the NHS .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health What can the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone is happy with the government and third parties being given access to people 's data .
Civil rights group Liberty said the government must take the risks seriously , and should not make installing the app a condition to leaving the lockdown or returning to work .
''Millions of us are going to need to trust the app and follow the advice it provides , '' says NHSX , the digital development arm of the health service .
It says the information gathered will only ever be used for health and research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be deleted at any time .
The UK app will use a centralised model , meaning the matching process will take place on a computer server .
An alternative , decentralised model was put forward by Apple and Google , where the exchange happens on people 's handsets .
The tech giants say their version makes it harder for hackers or the authorities to use the computer server logs to track and identify specific individuals .
But NHSX says its centralised system will help give it more insight into how the disease spreads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more efficient .

Instead, if they have no symptoms and at least two weeks have passed since the second dose, they can get a PCR test. If the result is negative, self-isolation can then be ended.


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Why the fashion industry faces an 'existential crisis'

Normally , at this time of year , many of us would be curating our perfect summer wardrobe as we prepare for sunny weather and foreign holidays .
Instead , clothing sales plummeted by 34 % in March as much of the world 's population is currently unable to travel abroad or even socialise amid lockdown restrictions .
`` No-one wants to buy clothes to sit at home in , '' as Next 's chief executive Simon Wolfson put it last month .
The fashion industry has been negatively impacted by the coronavirus outbreak on every imaginable level ; production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demand has plummeted .
`` It has led to a real existential crisis for the fashion industry , '' says Imran Amed , the founder and CEO of The Business of Fashion , a leading industry website which has produced a report about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak .
`` This is an industry which is still almost entirely dependent oh physical retail .
More than 80 % of transactions in the fashion industry still happen in physical stores .
`` Added to that , many consumers simply are n't interested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so much focus on purchasing essential items to survive during the lockdown and I think everyone 's minds have naturally been focused on that .
So fashion just becomes an after-thought , or no thought at all in that kind of context . ''
With sales so low , there are questions about what will happen to the existing stock of clothes building up in stores and warehouses .
`` Unlike food or some medicines , [ fashion ] products do not go off .
But many go out of style , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as with seasonal apparel collections , rather quickly . ''
In an effort to maintain some income , many high street retailers are selling anything they 're able to at significantly discounted prices online .
Gap and H & M , for example , have been offering mid-season sales , while Uniqlo is promoting discounted comfort-wear items people are likely to need at home , such as jogging bottoms and leggings .
( Browns in London has reported a 70 % increase in sales of loungewear . )
It 's likely more brands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes on , Amed notes , which will damage profit margins , but he is hopeful that the fashion calendar being out of sync wo n't be as big an issue as many fear .
`` We always have to remember there are two hemispheres in the world , so when it 's summer in one place it 's winter in another , '' he says .
`` And I think there are creative ways we could think of to redistribute those collections .
`` But as for clothing going out of style @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinds of trends and aesthetics now that I think the idea of things being in or out of style is less marked now than it was maybe 10 or 15 years ago .
`` I 've actually heard of some designers who are saying , 'the collection I showed for spring/summer 2020 , we 're just going to sell that in spring/summer 2021 ' .
That wo n't be a solution that works for every brand , but I think getting through this situation is going to require some real lateral thinking and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many brands have suspended advertising - although some continue to use social media influencers to promote products .
Emily Canham , who has more than 700,000 Instagram followers , regularly promotes services and products including health foods , make-up , streaming services , holidays and clothes .
`` For me right now it 's really about listening to my followers about what feels appropriate , '' Canham tells BBC News .
Some of her recent posts have been reflective of her current lifestyle under lockdown - not always necessarily promoting something .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear what makes them feel great and powerful rather than adhering to traditional seasonal trends .
It 's about how you wear it , not what season it 's worn in . ''
As things stand , it 's not clear whether September 's Fashion Weeks will go ahead in London , Paris , New York and Milan , and if so what form they may take - designers could potentially broadcast fashion shows online if social distancing measures are still in place , for example .
May 's Met Gala , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has already effectively moved online , with Billy Porter encouraging people to recreate their favourite red carpet looks at home .
But even once the coronavirus pandemic has settled somewhat , however long that may take , there are questions about what the fashion industry will look like .
`` I feel very strongly that when we come out at the other end , people 's values are really going to have shifted , '' Vogue editor Dame Anna Wintour said last week .
`` I think it 's an opportunity for all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to look at our lives , and to rethink our values , and to really think about the waste , and the amount of money , and consumption , and excess that we have all indulged in and how we really need to rethink what this industry stands for . ''
The fashion industry is hugely polluting , producing about 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon emissions per year - and for some time has been under huge pressure to become more sustainable .
Much has been made of the damaging effect of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where consumers buy something cheap , hardly wear it and then throw it out .
It was the subject of a BBC Three documentary last year .
Dame Anna said the industry will need to `` slow down '' so that people can `` enjoy it much more '' without always looking for the next new thing .
`` The conversation about sustainability and the fashion industry has been going on for a long time now , so this is not a new conversation , but I do think this situation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's going to accelerate the fashion industry 's engagement with digital technology , and its desire to rethink the fashion calendar , but it will also accelerate the approach to sustainability and building responsible businesses .
That means using supply chains that are creating clothing in a circular way and take into account the impact on the planet and the people who make our clothes . ''
With regards to the current build-up of inventory , he adds : `` There was a time when certain companies and brands would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice which is frowned upon now . ''
Dame Vivienne Westwood has been a particular champion of sustainability , teaming up with green organisations and making her business more environmentally efficient .
At a time when sustainability and financial restraints are at the forefront of people 's minds , the launch of the latest series of The Great British Sewing Bee on BBC One could hardly have been more appropriate .
Like The Repair Shop , it provides practical tips and encourages creativity and craft at home - an antidote to a culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one .
`` Last year , home-made clothes seemed as old-fashioned as steam trains and oil lamps , '' said The Daily Mail 's Christopher Stevens in his review of the show .
`` But if lockdown goes on much longer , we 'll all be at it . ''
That would spell financial catastrophe to the fashion industry , which was generating $ 2.5 trillion ( £2.02 trillion ) in global annual revenues before the pandemic hit .
`` We 're going to see a wave of insolvencies and bankruptcies as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` This is the largest crisis that the modern industry has ever faced . ''

"I think it's an opportunity for all of us to look at our industry and to look at our lives, and to rethink our values, and to really think about the waste, and the amount of money, and consumption, and excess that we have all indulged in and how we really need to rethink what this industry stands for."


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Coronavirus 'as deadly as Ebola in hospital'

People needing hospital treatment for coronavirus are as likely to die as those with Ebola , claim UK researchers .
The warning comes as the largest study in Europe showed at least a third of hospital patients with Covid-19 die .
The disease is mild for most and can be treated at home , but scientists said people needed to realise how dangerous the infection could be .
Obesity , ageing and being male greatly increase the risk of death , according to the data from 166 British hospitals .
Medical details on nearly 17,000 coronavirus patients in England , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • 17 % were still being treated '' Some people persist in believing that Covid-19 is no worse than a bad dose of flu - they are gravely mistaken , '' said Calum Semple , the chief investigator on the trial , and a professor in child health and outbreak medicine at the University of Liverpool .
`` The crude case fatality rate for people who are admitted to hospital with severe Covid-19 is 35 % to 40 % , which is similar to that for people admitted to hospital with Ebola .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ get it into their heads ... this is an incredibly dangerous disease . ''
However , overall the death rate from Covid-19 is thought to be less than 1 % , as so many people have mild disease .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• IMPACT : What the virus does to the body • RECOVERY : How long does it take ?
• LOCKDOWN : How can we lift restrictions ?
• ENDGAME : How do we get out of this mess ?
The study also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a general ward died , rising to 45 % in intensive care .
Intensive care is where ventilation and other procedures , such as to support other organs , can take place .
However , the research team said the seemingly high death rate on the wards was not due to a shortage of intensive-care beds .
Instead they argued it might be the right decision not to put patients through invasive treatment .
Dr Annemarie Docherty , honorary consultant in critical care at the University of Edinburgh , said : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I do n't think we 're doing these people any favours by bringing them to an intensive care unit .
I think is a very appropriate and very mature discussion that we 're having in UK hospitals at the moment . ''
Obesity , ageing and being male increase the risk of death The study confirmed what has been seen in other countries - that Covid-19 is more deadly in older age groups .
It also showed the gap between men and women increased with age .
Prof Semple said : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more men than women are affected and the difference gets bigger the older you get . ''
The explanation for obesity is not straightforward .
Obesity tends to come with other health problems that could put people at risk , and fat tissue releases chemicals that can increase inflammation in the body .
Inflammation has been linked to more serious disease .
Higher death rates in ethnic minority groups have been reported .
Across England , black people make up 3.5 % of the population but account for 6 % of coronavirus deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemic being worst in regions that are more diverse , such as London .
The research group has not yet published its data on ethnicity and death rates , but they said the evidence pointed towards a societal rather than a genetic explanation .
Rather than looking at the overall data , they are looking in more detail to strip out the effect of other factors such as disease , obesity and age .
Prof Semple said : `` When we match everything except ethnicity , the differences in outcome disappear and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what 's causing the poor outcomes .
`` Rather it is people from black and other ethnic minorities that are having poorer outcomes because of their social circumstances . ''

The explanation for obesity is not straightforward. Obesity tends to come with other health problems that could put people at risk, and fat tissue releases chemicals that can increase inflammation in the body. Inflammation has been linked to more serious disease.


bbcuk--2020-04-29--Coronavirus in Scotland: Half of deaths now in care homes

More than half of Scotland 's coronavirus deaths are now happening in care homes , according to new figures .
Data from the National Records of Scotland ( NRS ) showed that 338 of the 656 deaths recorded between 20 and 26 April were in care homes .
The figures bring the total number of people to have died with confirmed or suspected cases of the virus to 2,272 .
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the deaths included six members of NHS staff and five social care workers .
Ms Sturgeon said that it was `` not necessarily the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracted the virus through their work , and in some cases people may not have been in their workplace for some time .
She added : `` It is really important for us to understand how many frontline workers lose their lives from this virus and it is also really important that we ensure appropriate investigation into the circumstances and of course learn any lessons that we can . ''
• Coronavirus in Scotland : Who is dying and where ?
• Coronavirus tests : How do Scotland and England compare ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus is mentioned on a death certificate as a potential cause , and provides a wider picture than the figures announced each day , which only cover cases confirmed by laboratory testing .
In the most recent week covered by the statistics , more than half of the recorded coronavirus deaths were in care homes - with one in seven of all deaths in care homes in 2020 now being linked to virus .
Ms Sturgeon said the proportion of deaths in care homes was `` deeply distressing '' , but `` broadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many other countries '' .
She said the latest figures partly reflected the fact that the number of deaths linked to the virus in hospitals `` seems to be declining '' .
But the first minister said care homes were still `` very vulnerable to this virus '' due to the age and frailty of many residents , adding that `` we will continue to take whatever steps necessary '' to make them `` as safe as possible '' .
Concerns have been raised in recent weeks about a lack of testing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw said the NRS figures showed that the Scottish government was continuing to `` fall well short '' in its support for the sector .
He added : `` Scores of elderly people are dying every day in care homes - they need action now , not merely a suggestion that things are being monitored and considered .
`` These homes play a key part in the health system at all times , easing strain on councils and the NHS , and helping ease bed-blocking.The residents and staff need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no less . ''
The latest increase in the number of deaths in care homes confirms they have now become the front line in the battle against coronavirus .
There appears to be a split - while the spread of the virus in the community has been slowed , it remains stubbornly difficult to control in care homes .
Do we need a new strategy ?
The first minister was asked this and pointed out that care homes have proved a challenge for all countries during this outbreak .
She was also pressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and England - where all care home staff and residents can now be tested even if they do n't have symptoms .
Nicola Sturgeon indicated we should expect to hear more details on testing before the end of the week .
Keeping our most vulnerable safe is proving an incredibly difficult challenge .
But the first minister promised there had been no complacency .
Of the 2,272 deaths linked to the virus since the outbreak began , just over half have happened in hospitals , with 39 % in care homes and 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
People aged 75 or over have accounted for 74 % of the deaths , with only 17 of those who died being under the age of 45 .
Coronavirus was involved in more than a third - 36 % - of all deaths registered in Scotland between 20 and 26 April .
The virus has also affected some areas more severely than others .
The Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area has reported the highest rate of deaths , at 6.3 per 10,000 people , while the Western Isles has reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also shows that there have been 3,116 more deaths in the last four weeks than would be expected based on the average of the past five years .
While the majority of these were linked to coronavirus , concerns have been raised about `` excess '' deaths due to other causes .
This includes 340 deaths linked to dementia or Alzheimers , and 194 of heart disease or stroke patients .
Twenty-four residents at the Erskine care homes for ex-servicemen and women are thought to have died from coronavirus .
The charity confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing positive with Covid-19 .
A spokesman said they believe another 21 residents who have died `` perhaps have had Covid-19 '' , but they had been unable to test them `` as that facility has not been widely available until recent days '' .
Ms Sturgeon said the number of excess deaths was lower than in previous weeks , but was still `` a source of concern '' and `` a much higher number than we would want to see '' .
She said : `` Overall they are far too high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data we have in Scotland , the proportion of excess deaths at this stage is slightly lower than it is in England and Wales . ''
The first minister said there was a danger of people feeling `` dispirited and powerless '' when hearing the rising death toll , but stressed that `` every one of us has the power to protect our loved ones and communities '' by abiding by lockdown restrictions .
She said : `` These measures are tough for all of us , and they are getting tougher .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , notwithstanding some of the upsetting news today .
`` The converse of that point is equally stark - easing up on these restrictions would have a negative impact that would be felt very rapidly .
We do need to stick with it . ''

She added: "It is really important for us to understand how many frontline workers lose their lives from this virus and it is also really important that we ensure appropriate investigation into the circumstances and of course learn any lessons that we can."