bbcuk--2020-07-01--Noah Donohoe funeral hears of 'tangible sense of shock'

Mourners at the funeral of schoolboy Noah Donohoe have heard how `` a tangible sense of shock and disbelief has gripped the community '' since the news of his death emerged .
The body of the missing Belfast teenager was found in a storm drain in north Belfast last Saturday .
He had been missing since Sunday , 21 June .
A small , private funeral service was held at St Patrick 's Church on Donegall Street in Belfast .
In his homily , Fr Michael McGinnity said that since his body was discovered , many people have been `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be put into words '' .
Addressing Noah 's mother , he said : `` Countless people across Belfast and far beyond it ... are holding you , Fiona , and your family in their thoughts and prayers .
`` People everywhere are united in their heart-felt sympathy towards you and the wider family circle . ''
He added : `` None of us can begin to imagine the depth of your sorrow and the visceral depth of your grief .
`` At the same time , we gather here , very conscious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have reached out to you as a family in your hour of need . ''
Fr McGinnity paid tribute to those `` who took to the streets from across the community , day after day , in search of Noah '' .
`` We also remember the police and rescue teams who were relentless in their efforts to find him , '' he said .
Noah 's school friends attended a prayer service at St Malachy 's College during the funeral .
After the funeral at St Patrick 's , his funeral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a place where Noah `` loved and was loved '' according to a statement on behalf of the family .
The cortege proceeded up and down the school 's entrance avenue , while students formed a guard of honour .
Fr McGinnity said they too were `` united in heart-felt sympathy for Noah 's family '' .
`` We also hold in our hearts today Noah 's friends as they come to terms with their devastating loss .
We remember the messages they sent to Noah 's family , and the many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media and across the airwaves .
`` Those messages and tributes have been a source of immense comfort to Noah 's heartbroken family . ''
Quiet streets as funeral makes its way Ahead of the service , Noah 's St Malachy 's school friends and members of the basketball team he played for walked alongside the hearse and provided a guard of honour at St Patrick 's Church on Donegall Street .
His mother Fiona , aunts Shona and Niamh , and their wider family circle led the cortège .
People lined the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volunteers from the Shore Road who had helped search for Noah .
The only sound was the bells of St Patrick 's as the cortège passed by .
In his death notice , Noah 's family said his `` beautiful , pure young soul fills the hearts of his mother Fiona , his aunts Niamh and Shona , their beautiful children and his uncle Gearoid '' .
It added : `` He comforts his grandparents Margot , Gerry and Linda and his beautiful , strong friends .
He will be safe in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
In a tribute to those who helped to search for the schoolboy , the message added : `` Noah 's love was great enough to reach the selfless hearts of north Belfast and beyond as they showed overwhelming compassion and empathy in bringing Noah home .
Love has no boundaries . ''
A number of family members attended a vigil in north Belfast on Sunday evening .
They released 14 blue balloons , in memory of Noah .
People clapped as the Community Rescue Service volunteers who looked for him walked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was `` blessed to have had such an outstanding student and person as a most valued member of our family '' .
St Malachy 's College said Noah 's `` caring nature , calm demeanour and big smile were some of his great gifts that helped others do their best '' .
The school said that Noah was a talented musician and keen rugby and basketball player .
He also received a number of awards in his three years at the school , including The Spirit of the College Award , full attendance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all deeply saddened at Noah 's passing away , and we offer prayers for and support to his mother , Fiona , family members , friends and also his extended family - all of us associated with St Malachy 's College , '' the statement added .
`` Noah will always be a treasured member of our Malachian family . ''

"We also hold in our hearts today Noah's friends as they come to terms with their devastating loss. We remember the messages they sent to Noah's family, and the many tributes they paid to Noah on social media and across the airwaves.


bbcuk--2020-07-01--Richard Madeley sorry for 'misjudged' domestic violence advice

Richard Madeley has apologised after he was criticised for giving `` dangerous '' advice in a newspaper column .
He was accused of downplaying a reader 's fears that their neighbour might be suffering domestic violence .
Writing in Saturday 's Daily Telegraph , Madeley told the reader : `` If they were going to kill each other , they 'd have done it by now . ''
On Tuesday , the TV presenter said he was `` so annoyed '' with himself for having `` misjudged '' his response .
`` My critics today are absolutely right , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one , tonally and in content .
So annoyed with self . ''
Madeley added that he had `` reached out '' to various people to apologise , and that he would address the topic in his column next weekend .
The letter , from an anonymous reader in Bedfordshire , was printed under the heading : `` What shall I do about my noisy nocturnal neighbours ? ''
It described `` bangs and crashes and shouting '' coming from the property `` most nights '' .
`` I worry that something could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I would feel guilty because I did nothing , despite a gut feeling that things are not right , '' the letter went on .
Madeley responded by saying that : `` If some sort of serious abuse was involved you 'd have noticed it ( in the form of black eyes , cut lips and the like , or late night visits from the police after drunken 999 calls ) . ''
He concluded : `` If they were going to kill each other , they 'd have done it by now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including Standing Together Against Domestic Violence and Refuge .
`` This is appalling and dangerous advice , '' tweeted Refuge , demanding a retraction .
`` Women live in fear of their partners across the country - many are isolated and alone ; Literally trapped .
Women 's lives depend on people calling out abuse . ''
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"If possible, you could mention to your neighbour that you've overheard some fighting and that you're worried about her. You can then encourage her to seek some help. There will be options available to help her put a stop to what's going on."


bbcuk--2020-07-01--'Utter abandonment' of special needs families during lockdown

Families of children with special educational needs have felt `` utterly abandoned '' during school closures , an MPs ' committee has been told .
Witnesses told the education committee those with extra educational , physical or emotional needs had seen support `` fall off a cliff '' amid lockdown .
Risk assessments linked to Covid-19 had been used by some schools to prevent SEND pupils attending , it heard .
There was also concern national catch-up plans do not mention SEND children .
Witnesses from the special educational needs and disability ( SEND ) world painted a bleak and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional needs .
Ali Fiddy , chief executive of the Independent Provider of Special Education Advice , said her organisation was seeing families `` who are very clearly struggling '' .
There was definitely not enough support being offered for parents , she said , with many families feeling `` utterly abandoned '' .
• 'Cut-off , ignored ... that was normal even before lockdown' • We had a lockdown choice - care for Amy or never see her • Young carers 'ca n't get a break ' in lockdown Children with special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of children who were invited to continue schooling .
But Ms Fiddy said , in some cases , the risk assessment process tied to the coronavirus outbreak was being used as an excuse to offer no services and keep pupils out of school .
She gave the example of a parent of a Reception child with SEND being told they could not attend because they would need to be reminded to wash their hands .
Children and young people are not vulnerable by virtue of having SEND , they are vulnerable because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms Fiddy said .
Amanda Batten , chair of the Disabled Children 's Partnership , said families feel `` very much forgotten '' and that most families had seen their support reduced if not withdrawn .
She said overall the picture was one of exhaustion and stress among the families she had heard from , with children 's physical and mental health deteriorating .
Families were left to fend for themselves as they struggled with home schooling , nursing in some cases and no therapeutic support at all , she said .
Philippa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Educational Consortium , said many families and young people had been hit hard by the waiving of the legal duty on schools to provide support for SEND pupils .
This was replaced when schools closed with the requirement for schools and councils to make `` reasonable endeavours '' with children on education health care plans .
All the witnesses agreed they wanted to see these temporary `` watered down '' regulations come to an end .
The problem was that many families had received no information about what might replace their regular support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ absolutely devastating , '' she said .
`` So the pre-existing inequalities have been exacerbated because so little has been done in some places for children who already experience difficulties in their education . ''
`` The difficulty for a family left to home educate their child with a lack of any provision from a school or local authority is almost unimaginable , and the impact of that is going to be deep and long-lasting . ''
She also highlighted the structural issues within the SEND system which has form many years been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the committee , Robert Halfon , said : `` This is very , very depressing what you 're telling us this morning , I have to say .
`` I 'm glad we have you here , but it is incredibly depressing , what we 're hearing . ''
All witnesses agreed there was a need for a specific catch-up plans for children with special educational needs , involving extra emotional and therapeutic support .
And there was a warning of a spike in school refusal and exclusions next term , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of emotional needs were treated as disciplinary matters .
Concerns were also raised about practical issues such as transport for SEND children come September .
`` You will need more buses , not fewer and you will need to potentially plan them for slightly different timetables and so forth in order that we do n't have everyone arriving by bus at the same time , '' said Ms Stobbs .
`` There are all sorts of considerations that really need to be part of a comprehensive local plan . ''

"You will need more buses, not fewer and you will need to potentially plan them for slightly different timetables and so forth in order that we don't have everyone arriving by bus at the same time," said Ms Stobbs.


bbcuk--2020-07-01--Reading stabbings: Terror suspect Khairi Saadallah appears at Old Bailey

The man accused of stabbing three men to death in a park in a suspected terror attack has appeared at the Old Bailey .
Khairi Saadallah , 25 , appeared by video link from Belmarsh Prison in south-east London , flanked by two guards .
He faces three counts of murder and three of attempted murder after the attack in Forbury Gardens , Reading , shortly before 19:00 BST on 20 June .
Mr Saadallah was remanded in custody until the next hearing on 10 July .
Wearing a grey jumper and beige trousers for his court appearance , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ birth and his nationality as Libyan .
No date for a trial was set .
The two-minute attack at a park left three people dead : friends James Furlong , 36 , David Wails , 49 , and Joseph Ritchie-Bennett , 39 .
History teacher Mr Furlong and Mr Ritchie-Bennett , a US citizen , were both stabbed once in the neck , while Mr Wails , a scientist , was stabbed in the back .
All three were pronounced dead at the scene .
Three others - their friend Stephen Young , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nisudan , who were sitting in a nearby group - were also injured .
Mr Young received 28 stitches in the head to treat a single stab wound , Mr Edwards was stabbed in the back and Mr Nisudan suffered injuries to his face and hand .
They have all been discharged from hospital .

History teacher Mr Furlong and Mr Ritchie-Bennett, a US citizen, were both stabbed once in the neck, while Mr Wails, a scientist, was stabbed in the back. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.


bbcuk--2020-07-01--Wigan Athletic in administration: Championship club set for 12-point deduction

Wigan Athletic have gone into administration , becoming the first English professional club to do so since the coronavirus pandemic began .
The English Football League has said Wigan will be deducted 12 points .
The sanction will be applied at the end of this season if the Latics , 14th in the Championship , finish outside the bottom three after 46 games .
Should Wigan finish in the relegation zone , the penalty will be applied during the 2020-21 season instead .
Wigan have won all three of their league games since the resumption of the Championship season on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the drop zone with six matches left to play .
Administration one month after change in ownership Until 2018 , the club was owned by Dave Whelan , who steered them from the fourth tier of English football to the Premier League in 2005 , and they also won the FA Cup in 2013 .
Whelan sold the club to Hong Kong-based International Entertainment Corporation in November 2018 and there was a further change of ownership in May when Next Leader Fund took control .
Paul Stanley , Gerald Krasner and Dean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as joint administrators .
Asked by BBC Radio Manchester how big an impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on the situation , Stanley said : `` I do n't think it 's played a massive part in terms of the way the club 's been run , because the club 's been run very well .
`` The funding that was due to come in from the owners did n't come in .
I 've had no contact with the owners and I do n't know why the funding did n't come in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just do n't know . ''
Stanley also confirmed that the administrators have control over Wigan 's DW Stadium and training ground as well as the club itself .
Former Leeds United chairman Krasner told BBC Sport : `` We are dealing with some proper people here and I have a lot more information on the situation than I did this morning .
`` There are two objectives ; firstly to make sure we get to the end of the season , otherwise the club is finished , then to find a buyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at this moment is that we have spoken to the EFL and the PFA ( Professional Footballers ' Association ) .
We intend to speak to the local MP and also the supporters , who we have not managed to speak to yet .
I have spoken to the manager ( Paul Cook ) .
`` I have been involved at other clubs - Leeds , Bournemouth and Port Vale - although I did n't have the additional problem of a pandemic .
`` We need some money really quickly to deal with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organised that , which will give us some breathing space .
`` I have put my neck on the block a few times , particularly at Leeds , but I have not lost a club yet and I am optimistic we will resolve the problem . ''
In May , EFL chairman Rick Parry told the Digital , Culture , Media and Sport committee that clubs were facing a £200m financial hole by September and were `` stacking up creditors '' .
EFL matches were suspended in March and , while Championship fixtures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Two clubs voted to curtail their seasons early , with many pinpointing financial implications as one of the reasons against returning .
'Wigan may not be alone ' - analysis Wigan are the first , but the big question is how many more clubs will enter administration when the full financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic starts to be felt ?
When I interviewed Huddersfield owner Phil Hodgkinson in May , his bleak assessment was that `` 50 or 60 '' clubs could go bust .
That view was felt to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is football is being played without fans at present .
That means clubs such as Manchester United are losing £5m worth of income per game .
They , at least , have a massive TV deal to support them .
As you go down the pyramid , the TV income reduces massively .
Can League One , League Two and the National Leagues really play to no fans ?
These are all full-time clubs , many of whom used the government 's furlough scheme to shield themselves .
But that option will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone .

Wigan Athletic won the FA Cup in 2013 - the same year in which they most recently played in the Premier League
Wigan Athletic have gone into administration, becoming the first English professional club to do so since the coronavirus pandemic began.
The English Football League has said Wigan will be deducted 12 points.
The sanction will be applied at the end of this season if the Latics, 14th in the Championship, finish outside the bottom three after 46 games.
Should Wigan finish in the relegation zone, the penalty will be applied during the 2020-21 season instead.
Wigan have won all three of their league games since the resumption of the Championship season on 20 June and are eight points clear of the drop zone with six matches left to play.
Administration one month after change in ownership
Until 2018, the club was owned by Dave Whelan, who steered them from the fourth tier of English football to the Premier League in 2005, and they also won the FA Cup in 2013.
Whelan sold the club to Hong Kong-based International Entertainment Corporation in November 2018 and there was a further change of ownership in May when Next Leader Fund took control.
Paul Stanley, Gerald Krasner and Dean Watson of Begbies Traynor have been appointed as joint administrators.
Krasner said in a statement that the suspension of the Championship season because of the coronavirus pandemic has had a "significant impact on the recent fortunes of the club".
However, when asked by BBC Radio Manchester how big an impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on the situation, Stanley said: "I don't think it's played a massive part in terms of the way the club's been run, because the club's been run very well.
"The funding that was due to come in from the owners didn't come in. I've had no contact with the owners and I don't know why the funding didn't come in. It might be coronavirus-related, I just don't know."
Stanley also confirmed that the administrators have control over Wigan's DW Stadium and training ground as well as the club itself.
Wigan beat Stoke 3-0 on Tuesday to move eight points clear of the relegation zone in the Championship
Meanwhile, former Leeds United chairman Krasner told BBC Sport he is "optimistic" that the situation will be resolved.
He said: "We are dealing with some proper people here and I have a lot more information on the situation than I did this morning.
"There are two objectives; firstly to make sure we get to the end of the season, otherwise the club is finished, then to find a buyer.
"All I can really say at this moment is that we have spoken to the EFL and the PFA (Professional Footballers' Association). We intend to speak to the local MP and also the supporters, who we have not managed to speak to yet. I have spoken to the manager (Paul Cook).
"I have been involved at other clubs - Leeds, Bournemouth and Port Vale - although I didn't have the additional problem of a pandemic.
"We need some money really quickly to deal with the situation. I think I have organised that, which will give us some breathing space.
"I have put my neck on the block a few times, particularly at Leeds, but I have not lost a club yet and I am optimistic we will resolve the problem."
The administrators say there have been expressions of interest, while Whelan has said he will see if he can "help in any way".
He told Talksport: "I'll have to stick my nose in a little and have a look, to see if I can find out what's caused it.
"I'll have to just try because the people of Wigan will be in absolute shock, because I am.
"Wigan is Wigan and I built the stadium, so I am going to have to see if I can help in any way, shape or form."
In May, EFL chairman Rick Parry told the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee that clubs were facing a £200m financial hole by September and were "stacking up creditors".
EFL matches were suspended in March and, while Championship fixtures resumed on 20 June, League One and Two clubs voted to curtail their seasons early, with many pinpointing financial implications as one of the reasons against returning.
'Wigan may not be alone' - analysis
Simon Stone, BBC Sport
Wigan are the first, but the big question is how many more clubs will enter administration when the full financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic starts to be felt?
When I interviewed Huddersfield owner Phil Hodgkinson in May, his bleak assessment was that "50 or 60" clubs could go bust.
That view was felt to be extreme. However, the brutal truth is football is being played without fans at present. That means clubs such as Manchester United are losing £5m worth of income per game. They, at least, have a massive TV deal to support them.
As you go down the pyramid, the TV income reduces massively. Can League One, League Two and the National Leagues really play to no fans? These are all full-time clubs, many of whom used the government's furlough scheme to shield themselves.
But that option will not exist shortly. Wigan may not be alone.


bbcuk--2020-07-01--Coronavirus: Cross-border 'cluster' of virus cases investigated

A cross-border `` cluster '' of coronavirus cases has been identified across south west Scotland and north west England .
NHS Dumfries and Galloway confirmed there had been nine new cases of Covid-19 in the Gretna and Annan areas since Monday .
It said everyone was self-isolating and work was taking place to identify any recent contacts .
Scotland 's national clinical director , Prof Jason Leitch , described it as a `` complex but small cluster '' .
He stressed that the last positive cases in the Dumfries and Galloway health board area had come on 22 June .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cluster captured in different testing areas ; in a hospital testing site , in a mobile testing unit and in a drive-through testing unit , '' he added .
He said the number of cases was in `` single figures '' and stretched across the Scotland-England border .
`` That adds a complexity because some of the testing will have been done in England and some of the testing will have been done in Scotland , '' he said .
A cross-border incident management team has been put together with Health Protection Scotland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who runs the Café Royal in Annan , only recently reopened his business after it was shut for seven weeks .
He has strict hygiene and social distancing measures in place , such as temperature checks for staff .
He said : `` It is a very worrying development .
`` I have noticed an increase in the number of customers from England over the last week or so and customers say Carlisle is pretty much business as usual now .
`` We obviously do n't know where the outbreak started , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say to any customer is you 're not welcome , but it shows you how complicated this is .
`` All we can do is stick to our own plan for social distancing and hygiene and hope they can trace all the cases . ''
Prof Leitch said contact tracing had `` already begun '' .
`` Incidents like this reinforce the importance of our test and protect model quickly identifying potential clusters and identifying contacts , '' he said .
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that the public should `` take some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus outbreaks had been detected .
She said she understood the anxiety caused by the virus but the systems to deal with the situation were `` kicking in '' when they needed to .
NHS Dumfries and Galloway said it was monitoring the situation `` very closely '' and would provide updates as the situation developed .
It said a mobile testing unit would be made available for anyone experiencing symptoms A health board statement said the region had been `` very fortunate '' to have a relatively small number of cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interim director of public health , said : `` These new cases are a clear reminder of the challenges we face in learning to live with Covid-19 .
`` As we move out of lockdown we are very likely to see areas of localised outbreak .
`` Our test and protect system is designed to identify cases and their contacts and provide advice and support to individuals in relation to self isolating for the required period .
`` That is why everyone must continue to stay alert , get a test if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' • RISK AT WORK : How exposed is your job ?
• CASES : How many people in Scotland have tested positive ?
• EXERCISE : What are the guidelines on getting out ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?

"We obviously don't know where the outbreak started, and the last thing I want to say to any customer is you're not welcome, but it shows you how complicated this is.


bbcuk--2020-07-01--Edward Colston: Bristol's Colston Arms pub to be renamed

A pub named after 17th Century slave trader Edward Colston has covered over its sign amid plans for a name change .
The Colston Arms in Kingsdown , Bristol , has hung up a temporary banner calling it `` Ye olde Pubby Mcdrunkface '' and asked people to suggest new names .
The sign outside the pub reads `` We are listening .
Black Lives Matter . ''
A statue of Colston in the city centre was torn down and thrown into the harbour during anti-racism protests last month .
The pub 's banner reads : `` The Clearly Temporarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ welcome ( Obviously ) . ''
Landlord Paul Frost said it was `` just a bit of fun to draw attention to the issue '' .
`` It 's not me that 's keen to make the name change , I just want to make sure the debate happens , '' he said .
`` The point I 'm making is that it 's not my voice that needs to be heard .
I 'm a white middle aged man , it 's the people , the community around Bristol .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banner suggests a little levity about the matter .
It 's just get engaged , learn about the whole era and make suggestions on Facebook really . ''
Admiral Taverns , which owns the pub , said it was supporting Mr Frost .
`` We will be listening carefully to the feedback from the local community before deciding on the pub 's new name , '' a spokesperson said .
Since the Colston statue was pulled down there have been several other protests calling for monuments celebrating controversial figures in the UK to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Colston Hall removed his name from the building last month ahead of a name change later this year .
The Diocese of Bristol has also formally applied to remove a plaque and part of a stained glass window in the north transept of Bristol Cathedral that commemorates Colston 's life .
Parts of the window , which was installed in 1890 , were covered up last month .

"It is a serious issue, however the banner suggests a little levity about the matter. It's just get engaged, learn about the whole era and make suggestions on Facebook really."


bbcuk--2020-06-30--Coronavirus: Frailty 'indicator' to survival

Frailty is as important as age or underlying health issues in determining whether someone may die from Covid-19 , a study has found .
It looked at more than 1,500 patients at 10 UK hospitals and one in Italy .
Researchers from Cardiff University , King 's College London , Salford Royal and North Bristol NHS trusts said frailty assessment was crucial to make clinical decisions on treatment .
They urged its use as a key indicator to assess a patient 's risk of dying .
Frailty is a clinical condition signified by a loss of reserves , energy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes in health and at risk of hospital admission , the need for long-term care or death .
The study by specialists in geriatric care , published in the Lancet medical journal , is believed to be the first to explore the impact of frailty on death risk in the current pandemic .
Lead author Jonathan Hewitt , from Cardiff University 's school of medicine , said : `` Every Covid-19 patient should be assessed for frailty because we now know that being frail - no matter how old you are or what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your chance of recovery from this disease .
`` Up until now the focus has been on age and other health issues but we believe this should now shift to frailty to make sure patients are receiving the appropriate , targeted treatment . ''
Kathryn McCarthy , a surgeon from North Bristol NHS Trust who researches frailty , said an assessment was quick and easy to carry out .
`` Our findings may also adjust people 's understanding of their own personal risk from Covid-19 , '' she said .
`` For example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher risk but are told they are in a lower risk group , while older people who are not frail have been told they are at risk and need to shield just because of their age .
Of 1,564 people admitted with Covid-19 , two-thirds were aged 65 and over but not all of them were deemed frail .
Further analysis showed patients who were considered to be severely frail were 2.4 times more likely to die from Covid-19 , after accounting for age , other health problems and the severity of illness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ben Carter of King 's College London said : `` With the measures in shielding being relaxed in coming months and the ongoing possibility of a second wave of Covid-19 it will be important to have a meaningful indicator to help inform decisions as to who may have to shield again . ''

Lead author Jonathan Hewitt, from Cardiff University's school of medicine, said: "Every Covid-19 patient should be assessed for frailty because we now know that being frail - no matter how old you are or what underlying conditions you may have - affects your chance of recovery from this disease.


bbcuk--2020-07-01--Leicester lockdown: Boundary line branded 'stupid' by residents

Residents on a street cut in half by the Leicester lockdown boundary line have branded it `` stupid '' .
Some addresses on Bowhill Grove , Scraptoft , are now subject to the tighter restrictions introduced on Monday , while others are not .
One resident said people living in the lockdown area could walk over the line to a nearby local pub , which may open .
Leicestershire County Council said the boundary had been drawn up rapidly and was `` an imprecise science '' .
It comes as shadow health secretary and Leicester South MP Jonathan Ashworth said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rules .
A map showing the boundary of the lockdown zone was made public on Tuesday morning before a postcode tool allowing people to check whether they lived inside the affected area was launched .
Paula Meadows , 51 , whose home on Bowhill Grove falls inside the line said : `` The government do n't know what they 're doing .
Where they 've drawn the line is just stupid .
`` It 's playing with numbers .
How can it start on one side of the road and not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it should be the whole place .
`` And how are they going to police it ?
If the pub round the corner opens there will be an open pub within walking distance where you can get a pint .
What 's stopping people from going ?
It 's ridiculous . ''
Kay Patel , 42 , lives further along the road from Mrs Meadows - and just outside the boundary .
She called for signs to be erected in the street - which is about 500 metres long - `` like when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This road is not a clear boundary , '' she said .
`` We 're out of lockdown , but beyond the bus stop is not .
`` People just walk out of the lockdown area .
It needs signs and barriers . ''
We now know that Leicester has had the most cases per population , but we do n't know who is currently seeing their cases rise or increase the most .
Public Health England has now published for the first time the full figures of positive cases in each local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 21 June .
This shows why the government was so worried - Leicester 's rate of new infections was more than double the next highest , Bradford .
These figures are now 10 days old , however .
What 's come as a surprise to many people is that the government 's public data on cases , updated daily , shows a much lower rate of infections in Leicester .
This is because it only includes so-called Pillar 1 tests - those in hospitals and involving healthcare workers .
The bulk of Leicester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 tests done outside of hospital .
Having this new breakdown of both sets of test results is going to be vital in determining where else may need to be subject to local lockdown .
Mike Sandys , Leicestershire County Council 's director of public health , said the lockdown map had been `` a rapid piece of work '' , drawn up by the county council , Leicester City Council and Public Health England .
He said it was based on `` PHE expert data on where cases are '' .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make those lines make sense to people .
It 's largely aligned with the M1 and the A46 and the east of the city boundary .
`` It 's an imprecise science and we were working at great pace to get it done . ''
Mr Ashworth told ITV 's Good Morning Britain a lack of detail from the government on local lockdown rules had left people `` anxious '' and `` very , very scared '' .
`` People want clarity .
People want to do the right thing .
They just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The prime minister 's official spokesman said : `` Both nationally and locally steps have been taken to ensure that people have all the information they need . ''
The local lockdown is due to be reviewed on 18 July .
• SOCIAL DISTANCING : What are the rules now ?
• BUBBLES : How do they work and who can be in yours ?
• JOBS : Can my boss force me to go to work ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear one ?
• TESTING : Who can get a test and how ?
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"And how are they going to police it? If the pub round the corner opens there will be an open pub within walking distance where you can get a pint. What's stopping people from going? It's ridiculous."


bbcuk--2020-07-01--First pantomimes cancelled ahead of make-or-break Christmas for theatres

Oh yes it is .
Oh no it is n't .
The big question facing many theatres at the moment is - is panto season cancelled ?
Norwich Theatre Royal became one of the first to call off its pantomime this week , saying the risk was `` too great '' after three months with no income .
Venues in Buxton and Welwyn Garden City have also cancelled , while Leicester Curve has scrapped its festive musical .
Pantos are crucial to theatre earnings , and this Christmas could prove to be make or break for some venues ' futures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former actor and panto dame , warned of the impact if festive shows are scrapped .
`` I think many provincial theatres will go to the wall , frankly , because that 's the time they can make the money , '' he told BBC News .
`` It puts money in the coffers to support the rest of the cultural offer .
I can see massive problems ahead if something is n't done and soon . ''
Theatres have been shut since March because of the coronavirus pandemic , and the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return of live performances .
The UK 's biggest pantomime producer Qdos has set a deadline of 3 August to decide whether its 34 shows - in cities from Bristol to Birmingham and Bradford - can go ahead .
Qdos managing director Michael Harrison told BBC News there could be `` a lot of redundancies '' in regional theatres if Aladdin , Snow White and Dick Whittington fall victim to live entertainment 's extended lockdown .
`` If Christmas is cancelled - or if pantomime is cancelled - then the theatres will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` And I 'm afraid that if it gets to 3 August and we have n't got clarity from the government , we will then have to begin the process of unravelling the season . ''
He wants an official date for the theatres to reopen , but said pantos will only be able to go ahead if social distancing is put behind us .
`` Commercial theatre ca n't operate on anything less than 100 % capacity .
It 's no good saying you can sell every other row , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you social distance actors on stage ?
How can you social distance dancers who have to touch each other ?
How do you social distance somebody who has to do a quick costume change ?
There 's all of those things to take into consideration .
`` We can adapt if we have some clarity about what the position might be .
But we do need to know in advance to set those ideas and plans in motion . ''
Although social distancing in the audience may make shows unviable , The Elgiva @ @ @ @ @ @ @ switched from Snow White to Sleeping Beauty to reduce the number of performers backstage .
Manager David Cooper said : `` Sleeping Beauty means fewer people backstage , as there wo n't be any dwarfs , so we can ensure the cast has the proper social distancing . ''
Last week , the government published a five-step roadmap for restarting live performance , but were widely criticised for not attaching a timetable or financial support .
• Will Santa have to social distance this year ?
• Why panto is 'the hardest job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bird , chief executive of the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre , told MPs that Christmas shows were economically `` vital '' for theatres .
He said : `` It is the time when theatres , being blunt , make the most profit , and that profit they need for the rest of the year to invest in everything they do and all the other types of productions . ''
John Barrowman , who is due to star in Snow White at Bristol Hippodrome this winter , told ITV 's Good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scrapped , `` 70 % of theatres around the UK are going to be gone '' .
Not all theatres stage traditional pantos - seasonal musicals are also under threat .
Last week , Leicester Curve called off The Wizard of Oz , saying such productions `` take months of preparation '' .
In the US , Broadway theatres have confirmed they will stay shut until 2021 .
On Wednesday , Norwich Theatre , which runs the city 's Theatre Royal , Playhouse and Stage Two , announced that 113 of its 217 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further 59 employees on zero hours contracts told they wo n't get any more work .
Chief executive Stephen Crocker said : `` I remain shocked and angry that the government is standing idle as an industry that has delivered so much to this country and is so vital to its recovery is being allowed to fade into dust . ''
Mr Watling , who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Theatre , has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson pointing out how vital theatres are , `` not just for the arts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He said : `` I used to tour the world , taking the theatre to every corner of the world , and we are highly regarded because of our massive and very important theatre offer . ''
A government spokesperson said : `` We are clear that we want to get the performing arts fully back up and running safely as soon as possible and are working closely with the sector on a phased approach , guided by public health and medical experts . ''
They said the government was also `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to support '' the theatre industry on top of the `` unprecedented financial assistance '' from the loans , grants and furlough scheme open to businesses , plus a £160m Arts Council England emergency package .
Mr Watling called for more information and help before more theatres are forced to cancel Christmas .
He said : `` Theatre Royal Norwich losing its pantomime is indicative of the way the whole thing could go like a pack of cards . ''
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"How can you social distance actors on stage? How can you social distance dancers who have to touch each other? How do you social distance somebody who has to do a quick costume change? There's all of those things to take into consideration.


bbcuk--2020-06-30--Period poverty: Rise in free sanitary products needed in lockdown

The number of women and girls facing period poverty has risen sharply during the coronavirus lockdown , according to charities working to help them .
Women unable to afford or access sanitary products have resorted to using items including newspaper , pillow cases , or tea towels .
One charity said the number of packs it gave out had risen about five-fold .
Poverty left some struggling to afford products and schools and community centres that distribute them have shut .
The government said its scheme launched in January to give out free period products in schools was still in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it usually distributed 5,000 packs a month but had handed more than 23,000 in the three months since lockdown began in England on 23 March .
Leeds-based Freedom4Girls said it had seen an even larger five-fold increase in the number of free sanitary products it supplied in and around the city .
Tina Leslie , who runs the charity , said it normally delivered about 500 packs of pads , tampons and liners a month .
But since the start of lockdown it had distributed more than 7,500 packs .
`` If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emotional mental health is just plummeting , '' she said .
`` You feel awful , you feel dirty - you just need to have that protection so you can go about your daily life .
`` Corona has exacerbated the issue over lockdown .
Community centres were n't open , schools were closed . ''
She said the charity had received requests from schools for products because they had `` run out '' .
`` The level of deprivation and poverty and people not able to afford products has been growing slowly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I do n't think it 's going to get better any time soon . ''
Ajmal Said , 14 , who lives in Leeds , said she and her friends were normally given sanitary products by the school nurse , but `` it 's hard to access products when you 're not at school '' .
`` Getting your period is n't a choice , so it 's not really fair we have to pay this amount of money to get something we need and if we do n't have that money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
Alison Gordon said she had set up a `` free shop '' in her garden on the Hawksworth estate in Leeds during lockdown , providing clothes , toys and period products to local families .
`` It 's been really difficult getting hold of these kind of things , '' she said .
`` We have people who really struggle because the food banks are n't as accessible .
`` We have a woman up the road using nappies , toilet paper , newspaper - anything she can get her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as sanitary towels' '' If you ca n't afford your food , your priority is not going to be getting a period product , it 's feeding yourself and your children .
`` So if you do n't have the money for food you 're not going to have the money to look after yourself in your period . ''
Mandu Reid , leader of the Women 's Equality Party and a candidate in the election for Mayor of London - delayed until next year - said the pandemic had highlighted the issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got a situation where something that was starting to be recognised , gradually kind of being under control , has now taken several steps back , '' she said .
The Department for Education said : `` We introduced the period product scheme so that students are able to access to these products when they need them at school or college .
`` The scheme remains in operation and schools and colleges are still able to order a range of period products through the online portal and distribute them to students , whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school or college . ''

"Getting your period isn't a choice, so it's not really fair we have to pay this amount of money to get something we need and if we don't have that money we can't get it," she said.


bbcuk--2020-07-01--The unlikely key workers

The unlikely key workers

Whether it 's nurses , carers or supermarket staff , key workers have rightly been hailed as heroes during lockdown .
But behind the frontline of the pandemic there have been a huge number of people who have been busy doing essential jobs , as outlined by the government .
They include those working across the food and transport industries , people providing childcare , working in public service and the financial sector .
They have been allowed to travel to work and send their children to school while the rest of us have been in lockdown .
We spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how lockdown has been .
Matt Forward 's job is to keep the pigeons away from Trafalgar Square .
Pest management was covered in the key worker list , so throughout lockdown Matt drove himself and his Harris hawk 45 miles to the iconic square early two mornings a week .
From 06:00 , his `` little boy '' Lighten would fly around for a couple of hours - perching on Nelson 's Column and the roof of the National Gallery .
His presence alone was enough to keep the pigeons away .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw this beast flying around everywhere I would n't want to nest and get too comfy , '' he says .
Matt , who lives in Tunbridge Wells , Kent , said he never thought of stopping his job because of lockdown .
`` If someone was n't there doing the job that we do , we 'd be overrun , '' he says .
Matt is new to the profession - he swapped his work as a plumber for the `` best job in the world '' a few months before lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a difference '' during lockdown , particularly because there were fewer people about , meaning there was less food waste for the pigeons to eat .
`` People are n't dropping bags of crisps in Trafalgar Square anymore , '' he says , `` basically food is n't on a plate for them . ''
But because there is less food around , it 's changed the behaviour of the pigeons .
They seem a bit braver because they 're hungrier , he says .
After he finishes in Trafalgar Square , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ places in the capital - London Stadium , museums , hotels .
Matt says he loves that , despite coronavirus , people still come up to him to ask him about what he 's doing .
`` It 's not as if I 'm walking a dog down the road , '' he says .
`` People show a lot of interest in it - that 's one of the reasons I love it . ''
Lockdown has been `` a rollercoaster '' on Lunan Bay Farm , in Angus .
Perched on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farm produces free range goat meat , honeyberries and other niche products .
But a third of its business comes from asparagus - which has just a six-week season , running from early May until the middle of June .
`` Covid hit us right before our asparagus started , '' says Jillian McEwan , who runs the farm with her husband Neil , a fifth-generation farmer .
`` It is a high-intense time because it is such a short season . ''
As food producers , they also qualified as key workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pick - and then sell - their asparagus right in the middle of lockdown .
`` We were able to booster our workforce with people who had been furloughed or had been made redundant , '' Jillian says .
They ended up with a team of 10-15 pickers , who all had to be equipped with masks , gloves and aprons .
The farm usually uses lightweight tractors in the asparagus fields , with pickers filling baskets on a platform pulled behind it .
But to ensure social distancing they needed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tractor was required .
Jillian worries about the impact the heavier machinery could have in the coming years .
`` By compacting the ground it will have an impact on next year 's crop .
So there were a lot of consequences of Covid for us . ''
The farm has 15 acres of asparagus and harvested 7,500kg in the six weeks from 4 May .
But then came the challenge of finding new customers to sell it to while it was fresh .
The 70-plus restaurants who usually take most of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned to small farm shops and independent retailers .
Much of their asparagus has been delivered to people as part of veg boxes .
`` It actually proved to be quite successful for us .
We could have actually sold three times the amount of asparagus we produced . ''
`` I have 62 volunteers that help me run manage the locks , '' says Alex Goode , site manager at Foxton Locks , in Leicestershire .
`` I went down to zero at the start of lockdown . ''
As a key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ became Alex 's responsibility during lockdown .
Located on the Leicester section of the Grand Union Canal , Foxton boasts the longest and steepest set of staircase locks in the UK .
It is a set of 10 individual locks , split into two by a passing area .
In the height of summer it can see 30-45 boats pass through every day .
With all but essential travel stopped on the canal system at the beginning of lockdown , that number fell to between one and four a day .
Yet boaters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` People who are living on their boats , it is their house , they still needed to get to areas where they could empty their toilets and fill up their water .
Other people needed to move around to get to sick relatives , or to get somewhere to moor for lockdown . ''
Working mainly from home , he created a next day booking system , where all the boats wanting to pass had to register for a set time the following day , giving Alex time to arrive , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus protocols were being stuck to by boaters .
Alex would also perform a daily safety check to make sure there was no damage or vandalism to the lock - or to the tow path , where locals came for their daily permitted exercise .
He says about 10-15 boats a day now pass through Foxton and he is looking forward to the canal volunteers returning at the beginning of July .
`` It resembled something out of ET , '' says Caitlin Rehal .
The 37-year-old specialist speech and language therapist is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wear to see a 102-year-old patient .
Neither were suspected of having coronavirus , but such PPE is just one of the changes Caitlin has seen in her profession since the pandemic hit .
`` It was almost impossible to engage with this patient while wearing all of this gear , '' she said .
`` It was very hard to get her to know I was a person trying to speak to her .
My impression was it was as if a bin was speaking to her… like something was talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Caitlin says that as the PPE guidance has changed she has n't been required to wear the `` ET '' outfit again - now a surgical mask , gloves and an apron are deemed suitable to see patients .
As a specialist health key worker , she has continued to work at Tunbridge Wells Hospital , in Kent , during the pandemic , treating people struggling to communicate or swallow , which affects their eating and drinking .
She says her team regularly sees patients who have had a brain injury , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Parkinson 's or multiple sclerosis .
And now Covid-19 - because it affects the respiratory system , it can have an impact on the way people swallow , she says .
`` Overall we have had fewer patients but of those patients some of them are much higher risk .
So it 's been a bit of an adjustment , '' she says .
It 's also meant many of the patients her team treats have been younger than usual - aged in their 50s and 60s , rather than 70s and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Caitlin has been unable to work with many of those higher risk patients .
She ca n't see anyone suspected of having coronavirus , even with elaborate PPE .
She says she 's grateful for the support of her colleagues when she felt `` she was n't able to pull her weight '' .
`` Their understanding and appreciation of the work I was able to do , in lieu of being able to be on the high-risk wards with them , was very important for my emotional health in a very @ @ @ @

She says she's grateful for the support of her colleagues when she felt "she wasn't able to pull her weight". "Their understanding and appreciation of the work I was able to do, in lieu of being able to be on the high-risk wards with them, was very important for my emotional health in a very stressful period."


bbcuk--2020-06-30--Coronavirus: Snacking and family meals increase in lockdown

Changes in young people 's eating habits , tracked during the lockdown in England , show both increases in snacking and families eating together .
Researchers found 60 % of young people thought more shared family meal times were positive for health and wellbeing .
Young people in the study said they wanted to keep having meals together .
The research , from the Guy 's and St Thomas 's Charity and the Bite Back 2030 healthy eating charity , studied over 1,000 14-19 year olds .
The youth co-chair of Bite Back 2030 is Christina Adane , the 16-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free school meals over the summer holidays , which footballer Marcus Rashford supported .
`` I do n't want us to be the victims of endless fast food advertisement and celebrities endorsing stuff that everyone knows is bad for us , '' said Ms Adane .
`` I want to be part of a world where our health is the priority of the food industry . ''
• Should I worry about my lockdown eating ?
• The girl behind Marcus Rashford 's school meal campaign The study of lockdown eating found contrasting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as `` grazing '' on crisps and chocolate , but also more shared meals as families spent more time at home together .
It also found a widening social divide in healthy and unhealthy eating .
The report describes snacking as the `` biggest negative consequence '' in eating habits during the pandemic , with a 40 % increase in snacks .
• SOCIAL DISTANCING : What are the rules now ?
• SOCIAL LIFE : When will pubs , bars and restaurants reopen ?
• TESTING : Who can get a test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How many cases in your area ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
Young people in poorer families were `` more likely to snack , less likely to eat fresh fruit and vegetables '' than their wealthier counterparts .
`` Some days I do n't eat a lot at all as I 'm not hungry , but others I snack more on things like chocolate , which I did n't do as much before , '' a 16-year-old girl told researchers .
But there was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families eating together in a way that was not usually possible .
`` Food during this period allowed me to reconnect with members of my family , we 've been cooking together and enjoying meals together .
I 'd love to continue doing it , '' said a 19-year-old young woman in the study .
`` I think I want to continue to eat together with my family , really make an effort of that , as we did n't normally do that , and it 's nice to sit together and eat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This rise in shared meal times during the lockdown was greater among better-off families - although there was also an increase among disadvantaged families too .
And most young people saw this as healthier and more sociable .
Sarah Hickey , the childhood obesity programme director at Guy 's and St Thomas ' Charity , said it showed the social divide in nutrition getting worse during the lockdown .
`` Even before the pandemic , families ' food options were strongly shaped by where they lived , and their socio-economic background , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the inequality gap around access to nutritious food has been further widened by the Covid-19 lockdown . ''
• THE FUTURE OF THE THEATRE INDUSTRY : Dame Judi Dench on the impact of coronavirus • TALKING HEADS : Imelda Staunton and Sarah Lancashire take on the much-loved monologues

"I think I want to continue to eat together with my family, really make an effort of that, as we didn't normally do that, and it's nice to sit together and eat," an 18-year-old told researchers.


bbcuk--2020-07-01--Coronavirus: Lockdown boosts Couch to 5K downloads

The coronavirus lockdown has spurred thousands to put on trainers and run .
More than 858,000 people downloaded the NHS-backed Couch to 5K app between March and the end of June .
The figures represent a 92 % increase over the same period in 2019 , when it was downloaded 448,000 times .
The NHS has urged people to keep going if they started exercising during the lockdown and hailed running as good for physical and mental health .
It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson this week described the UK as fatter than its European neighbours and as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Who is your Couch to 5K coach ?
• How to get into running The app , known as One You Couch to 5K on the Apple App store and Google Play store , aims to equip people who have never run consistently before with the stamina to tackle a 5000m ( 3.1 mile ) circuit over nine weeks .
A roster of coaches - including radio DJ and Sport Relief participant Jo Whiley , comedians Sarah Millican and Sanjeev Kohli , and former US Olympic sprinter Michael Johnson - help motivate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to listen to Laura , a less well-known narrator who is also the voice of the Couch to 5K podcast .
Their voices guide runners every step of the way , imparting wisdom and tips .
Bristolian Rob Bryher , 36 , marked his completion of Couch to 5K with a celebratory tweet on Monday .
He said : `` I downloaded the app in mid-April and in the beginning I just did n't think I 'd complete it .
I 'm one of these people who starts lots of things and can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go right .
`` I went with Jo Whiley because I used to listen to Radio 1 in the 90s - she was comforting and had a bit of humour to her .
`` Because of the lockdown I could n't , you know , go to the pub , '' he laughed .
`` I just wanted to do something that got me out . ''
James Sharp , 33 , from Essex , described his progress after five weeks of using the app .
`` It 's going really well , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` For me I was thinking I should practise what I 'm preaching .
I 've also been diagnosed with blood pressure hypertension and I was looking for things to reduce that and one of them is exercise .
`` I 'm not a sporty person at all , six weeks ago I could n't run more than 60 seconds and now I 'm at seven and eight minutes without stopping . ''
He added that people should just trust the programme .
`` Stick with it , it does work , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the exercise has also improved his mental health .
Amateur rugby player Louise Banks , 44 , from Kent , said her teammates set up a Couch to 5K group during lockdown - and now she can run 5.6 km in half an hour .
`` I wanted to do something that had a long-lasting impact .
I 'd never properly run - in rugby you stop and you start . ''
`` I 've got asthma and fibromyalgia and I thought it would only be good to improve my health in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The first couple of weeks were a nice introduction and then suddenly it ramps up .
I found myself having to repeat a week before moving on .
I used Jo Whiley and found the things she says really resonate with me . ''
Dr Nikki Kanani , NHS national director for primary care , who has also been running more during lockdown , said : `` We have all coped differently during lockdown , and for me , running and taking some time out to exercise with my children has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits physically , mentally and for our general wellbeing . ''
Rosanna O'Connor , acting director for health improvement at Public Health England , said : `` Lockdown has been challenging for us all but it 's hugely positive to see so many people using this opportunity to get more active and using Public Health England 's app , part of its Couch to 5K campaign .
`` Keeping active is not only good for our physical health but also crucially at this time helping us look after our mental health .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also playing our part in supporting the NHS . ''
• Join the nation 's biggest running group with the Couch to 5K app

Dr Nikki Kanani, NHS national director for primary care, who has also been running more during lockdown, said: "We have all coped differently during lockdown, and for me, running and taking some time out to exercise with my children has been really important - we've seen huge benefits physically, mentally and for our general wellbeing."


bbcuk--2020-06-30--Coronavirus: How lockdown has affected my money

`` I bought loads of junk that I would n't normally get . ''
Mikey Burton has spent more than a thousand pounds on items to get him through lockdown .
`` Not being able to go out and do anything ...
I needed to fill my time , '' the 25-year-old tells Radio 1 Newsbeat .
Being trapped inside turned out to be the perfect opportunity to make home life a bit more comfortable .
`` It definitely was n't the saving opportunity I thought it would be , '' he adds .
Until last week , Mikey was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're not working but are kept on your employer 's payroll - from his job in marketing .
`` At the start , I tried and failed at a couple of hobbies like painting or building a guitar pedal . ''
And that 's when he decided to splurge on things he would n't normally get .
`` A bike , loads of plants which turned my flat into a jungle , arty posters , video games , music records and even bed sheets . ''
Mikey 's `` definitely not a saver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself to be well-off .
`` I do n't struggle financially , but there 's not a huge amount of money leftover , '' he says .
He does n't think he 'll continue spending at the same level once life is back to normal .
`` We can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel and I 'm starting to realise that I need to shape up a bit . ''
But that does n't mean he has major regrets .
`` I do n't think I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've bought .
Maybe a few less takeaways . ''
Not everyone is able to spend money on making life comfortable during lockdown .
For some , like single mum Sharell Thomas , it 's been a challenge just to get essentials - as she 's losing £150 per month .
`` Food , clothes , gas and electric , that 's my main concern . ''
Sharell , 27 , has been in temporary accommodation for three years with her nine-year-old daughter - and is currently on furlough .
`` Before lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and universal credit .
Being on furlough with it now 80 % is not as much . ''
As a result , she 's cut back on things like extra food , and books for her daughter to read .
She ca n't attend school , so Sharell has `` had to buy toys and games to keep her occupied during the day '' .
While she praises government schemes such as furlough and universal credit , the structure of the furlough scheme has made it `` a lot harder '' for her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get paid every two weeks , but with furlough , it 's at the end of every month .
I have to try and budget better , '' she says .
• What if I ca n't pay my bills ?
She 's also had to rely on family , friends and platforms like Beam - a group that support homeless people .
It 's been a help with things like vouchers for supermarkets , bookshops and transport .
`` Without it , life would be a lot harder .
`` Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child that I would n't necessarily have been doing while she was at school .
It 's definitely been a struggle , '' Sharell adds .
For some , lockdown has been a perfect time to save money and - in Abigail Banfield 's case - become richer .
Abigail 's been working from home , and saved around £200 a month on travel , which she 's used to invest in stocks .
`` I took the leap and invested that , so it did n't feel like I 'd lose money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She took advantage of falling market prices - caused by the virus - which meant stocks became more affordable .
`` There 's no way I would have been able to buy shares in a normal situation .
It just became more accessible and paid off for me . ''
Abigail and her partner rent a house because they ca n't afford to buy one yet .
She decided to invest because `` deposits do n't grow on trees '' .
And it 's worked out well for Abi .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right time , the investment has massively grown . ''
`` It 's been one of those things where I can get a huge return for something .
It 's made us richer . ''
Like Mikey , she thinks she will not completely follow her lockdown spending habits once life is back to normal .
`` I 'll probably scale back on the investing once lockdown is over .
Because I 've been using the train fare , so wo n't be investing as much once I have to go back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financially happy .
Hopefully , this is the start of being able to buy a house , '' she adds .
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

"I used to get paid every two weeks, but with furlough, it's at the end of every month. I have to try and budget better," she says.


bbcuk--2020-06-30--Coronavirus: 'Why I want to prosecute Dominic Cummings'

A law student hoping to bring a private prosecution of the PM 's top aide has been told there is enough evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction .
Mahsa Taliefar , 25 , from London , sought formal advice from senior criminal barristers over Dominic Cummings ' trips during lockdown .
They say there is sufficient evidence in the public domain to prosecute for two breaches of the Coronavirus Health Protection Regulations 2020 .
Ms Taliefar says she has singled out Mr Cummings because he was involved in government meetings about the coronavirus and had influence in the regulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Waterfords Solicitors , she asked Benjamin Douglas-Jones QC of Paper Buildings and Nathaniel Rudolf of Bedford Row chambers to consider a range of potential offences related to Mr Cummings ' trips to Durham and later Barnard Castle soon after lockdown was imposed .
They concluded that there was sufficient evidence to bring a prosecution over two breaches of Regulation 6 , which came into force on 26 March , a day before Mr Cummings ' car journey to Durham .
• What is the Dominic Cummings scandal about ?
• Johnson urges UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It states that , during the emergency , `` no person may leave the place where they are living without reasonable excuse '' and then lists reasonable excuses such as shopping for groceries , accessing critical public services or caring for a vulnerable person .
In the case of his car trips to Durham and later to Barnard Castle on 12 April , the explanations given by Mr Cummings did not on the face of it constitute a reasonable excuse under the regulations , the prosecuting barristers advise .
That view was supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or any of your household have any of the main symptoms of the coronavirus then you must stay at home and self-isolate .
Mr Cummings has said his wife had some coronavirus symptoms before they made the journey to County Durham , after which he said he developed symptoms himself .
But he said he believes he had acted `` reasonably '' and within the law by driving to a cottage on his parents ' farm when he realised the family would have been left without childcare in London if , like his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said his sister and his nieces , who live on his parents ' land , had offered to look after his four-year-old son if necessary .
He also said stories in the media had made his London home a `` target '' .
However the barristers argue this did not constitute a `` reasonable excuse '' because , for example , Mr Cummings was not seeking `` public services '' for his child .
In regards to driving to Barnard Castle on 12 April , the barristers said : `` Leaving the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in Durham , to test his eyesight by driving a medium distance in a car to Barnard Castle to see if he could drive safely , would not , on this professional advice , amount to a reasonable excuse in law . ''
The sanction for breaching the coronavirus regulations is potentially an unlimited fine .
While criminal prosecutions are typically undertaken by the Crown Prosecution Service , it is long-established law that any citizen can bring a private criminal prosecution under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 .
The evidential test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a private criminal prosecution is the same as for a case brought by the Crown .
Once a private prosecution is brought , the Crown Prosecution Service has the right to take over the case .
The prosecuting barristers approached the case using the same two-fold test used by the Crown Prosecution Service ( CPS ) to decide whether to prosecute a criminal offence , testing first where there is sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction and second whether a prosecution would be in the public interest .
`` Driving hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is living is a significant breach… driving away from an intended destination to test one 's eyesight , when Dominic Cummings acknowledged there was a risk constituted a gratuitous and potentially dangerous breach of Regulation 6 , '' the prosecuting barristers conclude .
`` It would be difficult to say that a prosecution was not in the public interest on the facts of the driving on either occasion , '' they add .
The advice contrasts with the decision reached by Durham police , who examined evidence of offences under Regulation 6 following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Downing Street rose garden on 25 May .
They concluded there might have been a breach in the trip to Barnard Castle but decided not to prosecute because there had been `` no apparent breach of social distancing '' .
Mahsa Taliefar is crowdfunding the legal challenge while continuing to study law and working as a paralegal after graduating from Birkbeck College in the capital .
She is hoping to raise £300,000 to fund the full legal action - which could end up in a costly process known as judicial review .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I receive are mainly individuals telling me that they were not able to see their loved ones who passed away or at least attend their funerals due to the lockdown restrictions , '' Ms Taliefar says .
`` So when they learnt that Dominic Cummings assumed it was 'OK ' to travel 300 miles after suffering from suspected coronavirus and say it was due to childcare , he simply aggrieved all those who adhered to the lockdown .
`` I am usually a very active and outgoing person so the lockdown has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understood it was necessary as the laws were created to protect the public .
`` When a member of the government who was involved in the [ Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies ] meeting and had an influence in the Covid laws breaks those rules , he has actually undermined those laws and the government efforts in fighting the coronavirus . ''
Ms Taliefar contrasts Mr Cummings ' treatment with the 17,000 `` less wealthy and less connected citizens '' who have been fined for offences under the coronavirus regulations .
`` Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media has let it go , so it 's up to them to hold his feet to the fire , '' she says .
`` They are simply demanding better treatment for this country . ''
Speaking to reporters at a news conference on 25 May , Mr Cummings refuted claims there was one rule for him and another for the public .
`` I do n't think I am so different and that there is one rule for me and one rule for other people , '' he said .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what I did . ''

But he said he believes he had acted "reasonably" and within the law by driving to a cottage on his parents' farm when he realised the family would have been left without childcare in London if, like his wife, he had fallen ill. He said his sister and his nieces, who live on his parents' land, had offered to look after his four-year-old son if necessary. He also said stories in the media had made his London home a "target".


bbcuk--2020-06-30--100 days of lockdown: How life changed in the town of Telford

`` Never known anything like it in my lifetime . ''
That 's a line we 'll all have heard in the 100 days since Boris Johnson announced the coronavirus lockdown on 23 March .
Normally it 'd be something your nan might say .
For Telford in Shropshire , it 's true of an entire town .
Throughout the last 100 days , Radio 1 Newsbeat has been in touch with people in Telford about how lockdown has changed them and their lives .
There 's the local footballer who has no idea what will happen to his career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change her business overnight and the rapper who thought 2020 would be his best yet .
Telford has only existed since the late 1960s - built then to offer new housing to people from much busier cities .
After 50 years , it 's still called `` a new town '' .
`` It 's got a perfect blend of rural and urban , '' 18-year-old Molly Morgan tells us about her hometown .
`` It 's a great place to grow up . ''
`` I 've grown up here , my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here , '' adds personal trainer Esther Williams .
`` It 's got a great community .
When I was younger , I 'd have gone to Birmingham or Wolverhampton for the day but now there 's so much to do in Telford . ''
Telford was a far more ambitious project than other new towns of the era , like Stevenage and Crawley .
The aim was for 225,000 people to live there by 1991 .
In 2020 there are around 155,000 .
The town is cut down the middle by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Famous brands including Hitachi take sites on the industrial Stafford Park to the east , with the world famous Iron Bridge , arching over the River Severn , a couple of miles to the south .
The idea for Telford was to bring smaller towns , like Dawley and Lawley , together into one community .
`` It 's got a magnificent situation overlooking Shropshire… I think it 's got the makings of a very fine town indeed , '' were the words of Alwyn Sheppard Fidler , former City Architect of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Once an attractive town is built there - industry will go , '' he said .
In lockdown , Telford is a community facing some of its biggest challenges - and the people we 've been talking to spoke about challenges that will feel very familiar .
In many of the stories you hear , it 's the mood of uncertainty which keeps coming up .
Esther 's personal training firm , Ruthless , takes up a small corrugated unit on the sprawling industrial estate of Hortonwood , where both Epson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started her business in 2018 and its whole model was transformed overnight on 23 March when the prime minister addressed the country and told us that all non-essential businesses , including gyms , must close .
Esther 's been paying full rent on the unit during lockdown and is still waiting for the government to say she can re-open .
In the meantime , her focus is online sessions and small exercise classes in the park .
`` The work I 'm doing is great , and I 'm so grateful for that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be able to keep paying the rent there . ''
During that first week of lockdown , Esther told her clients on Facebook : `` We will be back .
We will be stronger .
We will be unstoppable . ''
Looking back now , she adds : `` I 've never done online so I was quite nervous .
I went to Zoom having never used Zoom before .
`` For me , it was completely different .
It was daunting to begin with but I 'm so glad I did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notice Esther says `` so grateful '' and `` so glad '' a lot .
She acknowledges others businesses have not had her flexibility .
Esther 's husband lost his job in sales but could n't get furlough as he 'd only been with his company a short time .
`` He 's just starting now to get interviews .
The stress of trying to find a job - even a temporary job - they just go so quick .
Things are getting better now .
I 'm just lucky I can work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
From Esther 's unit to one of the town 's focal points - the New Bucks Head , home to non-league AFC Telford United - is just a seven-minute drive .
For the sixth tier of English football , it 's impressive .
A 6,000-capacity stadium would surely be one of the bigger days out in the National League North .
Guiseley AFC and Curzon Ashton are typical visitors .
AFC Telford United typically get a thousand people turning up to home games but there 's been nobody through the turnstiles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and without any income from tickets , the club 's faced desperate measures .
On a Go Fund Me page seeking donations , a message reads : `` All of our income streams have dramatically reduced to virtually zero for several weeks now and it 's almost certain as a business it will take some time to recover . ''
Midfielder Adam Walker says the months without football have been tough on the players too .
They said goodbye to each other after a fairly regular match - minus the handshakes - expecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same week .
`` And that never happened .
So it 's been a big gap in everyone 's lives really . ''
Adam has become something of an unofficial spokesman for the players .
He says some are having to look at a career change .
`` There 's a very dark mist overhead still until this is resolved .
There 's massive uncertainty on how many clubs will be able to survive . ''
He points to the potential impact that could have on this community .
`` A club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good side and a lovely stadium .
You take that away from the community and there 'd be a massive hole there . ''
Without the guarantees of gate receipts , the club 's been helping its players find other work , such as coaching .
`` The gaffer 's tried to help players at the end of their career or maybe the younger ones who do n't know yet whether they 'll get paid for football and they might have young families .
`` It 's showing them how to be employable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking for jobs in this period .
`` It 's to try to help people have an income and still play football . ''
There has been football on the Bucks Head site for a century , but the area 's not had the biggest live music scene recently .
`` Telford has had a shortage of actual live music venues .
One of the main ones closed down a few years ago , '' says Tim Rogers - a financial services worker by day , who takes off the suit and tie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office hours .
This year felt like a moment of change - with a new 300-capacity venue opening in the town 's Southwater Square .
It 's easy to imagine Southwater Square without ever visiting .
Cineworld , Nando 's , TGi Fridays , all built in the last few years - all designed to give people in Telford a new option for a night out .
Tim thought the new venue was going to be a big moment for the local live scene - with the prospect of international names coming to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The most important thing is being able to deliver what you 've produced to people and see their reactions and let them enjoy in the way you hope they will . ''
He sounds undeniably flat talking about his music .
He 's been doing shows online but `` they 're not the same '' .
`` It 's not even 50 % - especially with rap and hip-hop as it 's super energetic . ''
To top it off , he had festival bookings for Boomtown and B-Side festival in 2020 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Outside of music though Tim says he 's feeling `` much more comfortable '' about the pandemic - his fears of picking it up have reduced and he 's settled into working at home .
Covid came closer than he 'd like though - a child in his son 's class lost his father after he contracted the virus .
For 18-year-old Molly , the latest lockdown easing is a bit of good news - she 's got her friend 's 18th birthday the week when new measures come into effect , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , Molly 's future will probably be closer to Telford than she 'd been planning .
She should have just finished her A-Levels .
But of course she never actually sat them and has tweaked her uni choices because she did n't get to finish her open day tours .
Now , she 's looking at PPE ( not that one , she jokes , after pulling her own face covering down ) in Liverpool or Birmingham .
This PPE is politics , philosophy and economics .
`` I 'd have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without the chance to visit , I was apprehensive to go somewhere without seeing the city .
I 'd have been a bit more adventurous . ''
Molly says she 's nervous about the prospect of her first year at university being mostly online learning .
`` I do n't want to stay in my room essentially for the whole year… I 'm not sure that 's right for me .
I 've toyed with delaying for a year to get the proper uni experience . ''
Molly will know more when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeping the training going waiting for news on the new season .
Esther hopes her unit will be open for classes after the next wave of government announcements .
`` Some of my friends are acoustic guitarists and they might get back and start gigging again .
It 's maybe difficult for my genre - it 's more of a live venue , nightclub , big stage kind of thing .
`` I 'm thinking of working with some guitarists and going to do the local pubs .
I do n't think they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off the tables at six o'clock .
We 'll have to tone it down I think . ''
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

"I'm thinking of working with some guitarists and going to do the local pubs. I don't think they'll appreciate me jumping around and jumping off the tables at six o'clock. We'll have to tone it down I think."


bbcuk--2020-06-30--Leicester lockdown: Parents and pupils upset at school closures

Leicester is to stay in lockdown after an increase in coronavirus cases , meaning schools will have to stay shut from Thursday .
Parents of children who only just returned to school at the beginning of June say they are worried about their children 's education .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there had been `` an unusually high incidence '' of coronavirus among children in Leicester since increased testing began in the city 10 days ago .
He said schools were being closed to help slow the transmission of the disease .
At Launde Primary School in Oadby , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leicester but included within the lockdown boundary , parents were adjusting to the news .
Teresa Lander , 51 , who has a child in Year 6 , said the local lockdown was `` a surprise and a bit upsetting '' for parents and pupils .
`` It 's worrying how much school they are missing , it 's a massive gap in their learning if they 're not in from March to September , '' she said .
`` They were having fun being back at school , it 's disappointing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respect it . ''
Liz Sharpe , 40 , said the situation was `` heartbreaking '' for her daughter as this was her last year at the school .
`` They 've missed out on so much education and she 's off to secondary next year so has missed out on some big changes , '' she said .
`` They were so excited to come back .
She was a little bit tearful , she wants to see her friends and her teachers . ''
Magda Raszowska , whose five-year-old daughter Iman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news was `` frustrating '' .
`` It 's like we 're going back to March , that was the shocking thing , '' she said .
`` Closing schools , closing shops again .
It 's scary , it just shows how a second wave can be not far off .
`` Obviously safety comes first , I understand that , we all do .
[ But ] it seems very strict .
As the mayor said , has Leicester been singled out now they 're getting more cautious ? ''
School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can to keep children learning and safe .
However , Inderjit Sandhu , the executive head of the Scholars Academy Trust , which runs the school , said she only learned of the lockdown via a BBC News alert on Monday night .
She said she was still emailing the local authority seeking more details at 21:50 BST .
`` It was a surprise , we 'd heard nothing whatsoever about it , '' she said .
`` I do n't know the right way to go about it , it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got to keep everyone safe , if we follow the guidance we 're doing the right thing .
`` It just shows how crazy it all is , but we 're still smiling . ''
The government has said children of `` critical workers '' and those classed as vulnerable will still be able to attend lessons .
Naomi Grant , deputy head at the city 's Braunstone Frith Primary School , said these pupils had remained in its classrooms throughout the pandemic .
She told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme closing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it had welcomed back was `` disappointing '' , but said she was `` keeping up to date with the news as much as I can '' .
The school would work hard to ensure pupils are safe , she added .
`` Since the whole of lockdown our school has never been closed , we 've just reopened to more children since 1 June , '' she said .
`` We 're really upset that we wo n't be able to have as many children in school as we have been for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've got such a detailed risk mitigation plan in place .
At the minute it 's working for nearly 200 children .
We 'll scale that down after Thursday , but we can scale it up as much as we need to as well . ''

Leicester is to stay in lockdown after an increase in coronavirus cases, meaning schools will have to stay shut from Thursday. Parents of children who only just returned to school at the beginning of June say they are worried about their children's education.


bbcuk--2020-06-30--Coronavirus: How those missed off the shielding list have fared in lockdown

As the coronavirus outbreak spread across the UK in the spring , about two million people with certain health conditions were advised to `` shield '' - to stay at home and adopt stricter distancing measures than most other people .
But in April , BBC News revealed 600,000 people had been left off the government 's `` high risk '' register despite meeting the criteria , including transplant patients , people with asthma and some with rare lung diseases .
The register was being used to identify people who should be given priority for things such as supermarket delivery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were missed out , the initial concerns were about getting basic food and medical supplies .
Last week it was announced those shielding in England could meet other people outdoors from 6 July and that shielding was due to end on 1 August .
So how have those who were not on the initial list dealt with lockdown and what sort of support have they received ?
'It was touch and go for about 10 days' Lucy Pearson , from Whitsbury in Fordingbridge , Hampshire , had a heart transplant 14 years ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live five miles from the nearest town so it 's been difficult and it really was touch and go for about 10 days , '' said Bev Pearson , mother of 20-year-old Lucy .
`` Neighbours offered to shop for us and although we did accept some help we felt awkward because we did n't want to put others at risk by looking after us .
I do n't like putting people in that position .
`` Despite registering her as high risk at the start of lockdown , we got our first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Since week nine of lockdown , Mrs Pearson said her daughter had been receiving a weekly food package from the government and the family had also managed to book supermarket delivery slots after she was added to the shielding list .
During week 14 , she also received her first letter from the government .
`` Thankfully , it 's all now sorted out and an NHS responder in the village gets her medication once a month , '' Mrs Pearson said .
Miss Pearson described her experience of lockdown as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who had broken lockdown rules .
`` I ca n't wait to go out .
I really miss the close contact with my Granny and Granddad that we all take for granted .
`` I have done lots of reading and listening to music though . ''
'We have played lots of Scrabble' Liz Goldfinch , 79 , from Droitwich in Worcestershire , has been shielding with her 88-year-old husband , Oli , as she has cryptogenic organising pneumonia ( COP ) - a rare lung condition - and Parkinson 's disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the list on the government website , Sainsbury 's and Tesco emailed me to tell me I had been identified as high risk and I 've had regular slots since then , '' she said .
`` Eventually I got a call from my GP and was told I had initially been missed because my illness is rare and not straightforward .
`` I also got a consultant letter .
So really it 's all been fine since then .
`` I also started getting free food packages delivered but I did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food to the food bank .
It was a good selection though - enough food for one person for a week , a balanced diet . ''
Mrs Goldfinch said her friend had been delivering her prescriptions , while her son and neighbours had also been `` very helpful and checking on us regularly '' .
`` I feel lucky that I 've got Oli with me and I 've not been alone - it would have been very difficult without him , '' she added .
`` I 've had time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm not the best cook , we have also played lots of Scrabble , cleared out the study , taken part in a Zoom quiz once a fortnight with ex-colleagues and it 's been very restful - a bit like being on holiday but without being able to go anywhere . ''
' I got nothing - not a text or food , or anything' Mother-of-four Ruth - who did not want to give her surname - is from Somerset and has severe asthma .
`` I am a high risk asthmatic on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and am under a consultant at the hospital , '' the 39-year-old said .
`` When I heard nothing from the government I registered on the government website .
`` Since registering I have had heard nothing - not a text or food , or anything .
`` I 've never been asked to shield and never received any support .
`` It 's been a huge worry especially as at the beginning of lockdown I was extremely unwell and was put on antibiotics and steroids .
`` I believe this put me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was so vulnerable with my immune system at that time . ''
Ruth said it had been particularly difficult as she has four children and they had been forced to rely on family and friends for supplies .
Who has needed to shield ?
• Those most at risk , who include : • Some people with cancer who are undergoing treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy • Women who are pregnant and have heart disease • Some people with rare diseases such as severe combined immunodeficiency The government initially said about 1.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to `` shield '' .
By late June there were more than 2.2 million people on the list .
At the same time people were missed , others were initially added to the list but later removed , including deceased patients , for which NHS Digital apologised .
As of the end of May , 159,000 patients had been removed from the list by their GP or hospital doctor .
NHS England said it did not know the reasons why they were removed but it could , for example , have been because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough to warrant shielding '' .
It said people who were taken off the list `` were not necessarily added in error '' .
• The people who are still shielding at home • ' I 'm high-risk and got coronavirus : it can be OK' A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing , Communities & Local Government ( MHCLG ) , which has provided about 300,000 free boxes of `` essential '' food to those who are shielding , said : `` A system of this scale , bringing together national and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first of its kind in this country .
`` The shielding service has expanded rapidly since we first advised those identified as medically clinically vulnerable to shield .
As soon as any problems were identified we worked with local partners to resolve and to provide more tailored support , based on their local knowledge . ''
It said the support it offered would remain in place until the end of July , after which time the current guidance states those who are extremely vulnerable to Covid-19 will no longer be advised to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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

Coronavirus: How those missed off the shielding list have fared in lockdown Published 30 June 2020
Image source, Bev Pearson/Liz Goldfinch Image caption, Transplant patient Lucy Pearson and Liz Goldfinch, who has a rare lung disease, were initially missed of the government's shielding list
As the coronavirus outbreak spread across the UK in the spring, about two million people with certain health conditions were advised to "shield" - to stay at home and adopt stricter distancing measures than most other people.
But in April, BBC News revealed 600,000 people had been left off the government's "high risk" register despite meeting the criteria, including transplant patients, people with asthma and some with rare lung diseases.
The register was being used to identify people who should be given priority for things such as supermarket delivery slots and so, for many who were missed out, the initial concerns were about getting basic food and medical supplies.
Last week it was announced those shielding in England could meet other people outdoors from 6 July and that shielding was due to end on 1 August. So how have those who were not on the initial list dealt with lockdown and what sort of support have they received?
'It was touch and go for about 10 days'
Image source, Bev Pearson
Lucy Pearson, from Whitsbury in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, had a heart transplant 14 years ago and has no spleen.
"We live five miles from the nearest town so it's been difficult and it really was touch and go for about 10 days," said Bev Pearson, mother of 20-year-old Lucy.
"Neighbours offered to shop for us and although we did accept some help we felt awkward because we didn't want to put others at risk by looking after us. I don't like putting people in that position.
"Despite registering her as high risk at the start of lockdown, we got our first text from the government on 14 May."
Since week nine of lockdown, Mrs Pearson said her daughter had been receiving a weekly food package from the government and the family had also managed to book supermarket delivery slots after she was added to the shielding list.
During week 14, she also received her first letter from the government.
"Thankfully, it's all now sorted out and an NHS responder in the village gets her medication once a month," Mrs Pearson said.
Miss Pearson described her experience of lockdown as frustrating and said she felt annoyed with people who had broken lockdown rules.
"I can't wait to go out. I really miss the close contact with my Granny and Granddad that we all take for granted.
"I have done lots of reading and listening to music though."
'We have played lots of Scrabble'
Image source, Liz Goldfinch
Liz Goldfinch, 79, from Droitwich in Worcestershire, has been shielding with her 88-year-old husband, Oli, as she has cryptogenic organising pneumonia (COP) - a rare lung condition - and Parkinson's disease.
"Soon after I added myself to the list on the government website, Sainsbury's and Tesco emailed me to tell me I had been identified as high risk and I've had regular slots since then," she said.
"Eventually I got a call from my GP and was told I had initially been missed because my illness is rare and not straightforward.
"I also got a consultant letter. So really it's all been fine since then.
"I also started getting free food packages delivered but I didn't need them so I sent the food to the food bank. It was a good selection though - enough food for one person for a week, a balanced diet."
Mrs Goldfinch said her friend had been delivering her prescriptions, while her son and neighbours had also been "very helpful and checking on us regularly".
"I feel lucky that I've got Oli with me and I've not been alone - it would have been very difficult without him," she added.
"I've had time to cook some half decent meals - I'm not the best cook, we have also played lots of Scrabble, cleared out the study, taken part in a Zoom quiz once a fortnight with ex-colleagues and it's been very restful - a bit like being on holiday but without being able to go anywhere."
'I got nothing - not a text or food, or anything'
Mother-of-four Ruth - who did not want to give her surname - is from Somerset and has severe asthma.
"I am a high risk asthmatic on fexafenigan, montelucast and steroid inhalers, and am under a consultant at the hospital," the 39-year-old said.
"When I heard nothing from the government I registered on the government website.
"Since registering I have had heard nothing - not a text or food, or anything.
"I've never been asked to shield and never received any support.
"It's been a huge worry especially as at the beginning of lockdown I was extremely unwell and was put on antibiotics and steroids.
"I believe this put me at quite a high risk as I was so vulnerable with my immune system at that time."
Ruth said it had been particularly difficult as she has four children and they had been forced to rely on family and friends for supplies.
Who has needed to shield?
Those most at risk, who include:
Solid organ transplant recipients
Some people with cancer who are undergoing treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy
People on immunosuppressant drugs
Women who are pregnant and have heart disease
People with severe respiratory conditions - cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and COPD
Some people with rare diseases such as severe combined immunodeficiency
Image source, Public Health England
The government initially said about 1.5 million people had been identified as needing to "shield".
By late June there were more than 2.2 million people on the list.
At the same time people were missed, others were initially added to the list but later removed, including deceased patients, for which NHS Digital apologised.
As of the end of May, 159,000 patients had been removed from the list by their GP or hospital doctor.
NHS England said it did not know the reasons why they were removed but it could, for example, have been because "their condition is no longer serious enough to warrant shielding". It said people who were taken off the list "were not necessarily added in error".
A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), which has provided about 300,000 free boxes of "essential" food to those who are shielding, said: "A system of this scale, bringing together national and local government and the food industry is the first of its kind in this country.
"The shielding service has expanded rapidly since we first advised those identified as medically clinically vulnerable to shield. As soon as any problems were identified we worked with local partners to resolve and to provide more tailored support, based on their local knowledge."