Summary
Here a brief overview of the latest key developments:
- The toll of reported hospital deaths in the UK has passed 10,000, up from 9,875 the previous day. The daily rise of reported hospital deaths has thus slowed down, but as always, a delay in the reporting as well as delayed test results for those who have died prevent clear-cut insights into the behaviour of the curve.
- The UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, was discharged from hospital today and released a video address the nation, in which he thanked NHS staff for saving his life. The PM mentioned two immigrant nurses in particular, who had monitored him round-the-clock for 48 hours in the ICU. He said the NHS “is unconquerable. It is powered by love.”
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The health secretary, Matt Hancock, refused to apologise over the delay in providing NHS frontline staff with PPE, after the Royal College of Nursing said that, as a last resort, staff might have to refuse treating patients if they did not have appropriate protection.
- Hancock announced the development of a new contact-tracing app that would let people enter their personal health data, recent contacts and coronavirus symptoms, as the government got under increased pressure to announce plans for an exit strategy from the lockdown.
- The Scottish government is set to publish data on the deaths of elderly care home residents from Covid-19 after disclosing more than a third of Scotland’s care homes have had coronavirus cases.
This is all from me, and this blog will now wrap up. For more updates, please head over to our global coronavirus blog. Thanks for reading and writing in, be well.
Updated
The Liberal Democrats have called for “transparency” over how data in the new NHS coronavirus app the health secretary Matt Hancock announced earlier will be used.
Acting party co-leader Ed Davey said: “Proposals laid out today to allow people to voluntarily provide data through an NHS app to improve contact tracing are likely to be crucial in enabling the UK to move out of the lockdown at some point in the future. This is therefore a welcome step to protect public health.
“However, there must be complete transparency around how the data will be stored and used, coupled with watertight guarantees that data will be anonymised, kept for the shortest possible time, and won’t be shared between government departments.
“Any proposal on the use of mobile phone data or other technology to track people must also be scrutinised properly by MPs before a final decision is made, further strengthening our argument that parliament should be recalled urgently.”
Updated
There will be enough drugs to treat critically ill patients in intensive care despite fears of drug shortages, senior medics have said, but also warned that people should obey social distancing rules in order to reduce the burden on NHS resources.
Amid reports that key medicines at some intensive care units were in short supply, intensive care consultant Ron Daniels told the BBC that quality of care for all patients – not just coronavirus sufferers – would “likely be lower” as a result.
But Alison Pittard, dean of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine, said that the NHS was not going to run out of medicines to treat patients and that care will not be compromised.
She told the PA Media news agency that medics have been issued new guidance telling them to use alternatives which were “perfectly safe for patients”.
Pittard added: “We are not going to run out of drugs to treat patients, that’s the bottom line.
“We may do things differently, but patient care won’t be compromised because we have to change the choice of drug.”
Updated
Labour leader Keir Starmer reacted with an emotional tweet to the news that more than 10,000 people had died from Covid-19 in the UK and appeared to be urging the government to “remember the people behind the numbers”.
Heartbreaking that we have now had more than 10,000 coronavirus deaths in the UK. We must remember the people behind the numbers. Every one is a tragedy, every one is a family shattered. #StayHomeSaveLives https://t.co/PMdyktgbZU
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 12, 2020
Updated
Jeane Freeman, the Scottish health secretary, has announced that social care workers in Scotland would receive this year’s pay rise of 3.3% immediately, and backdated to 1 April, instead of waiting for protracted negotiations with ministers and local authorities.
She said the increase for staff providing direct adult support would reach at least the real living wage rate of £9.30 per hour, including any hours worked for sleepovers. Extra funding would be provided to charities and independent care providers to ensure staff had sick pay or were self-isolating.
Updated
In more uplifting news, Michael, a reader from Warwick, wrote in to report a somewhat unorthodox interpretation of the new police powers.
“I and my family were minding our own business during our daily exercise session when two tough looking police, without warning, forcefully thrust an Easter egg into my grumpy toddler’s hands. Suffice to say her mood improved. Many thanks to Warwickshire police,” he wrote.
Updated
Reacting to the death toll update from No 10, James Naismith, Director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute and University of Oxford, emphasised that the lowered rise in deaths reported today were likely down to delayed reporting.
“Based on experience of previous weeks, today’s lower number could well arise from reporting delays due to the weekend and bank holiday,” he said. “If so there may be higher daily numbers next week as delayed reported deaths end up in future announcements.
“The UK, with over 10,000 deaths, is one of the worst-hit countries in Europe. Even this number is an underestimate due to lags in reporting and counting only hospital deaths. We are not in a macabre competition with other countries, every death, here or elsewhere, leaves a grieving family. We are only approaching the end of the beginning.”
Naismith added that, he expected the government, before it was taking the next steps, “to take and share the most up to date advice from a range of experts across all relevant fields, to identify what we can do better and to see what lessons from elsewhere can be applied here in time to make a difference.”
Updated
The Scottish government is to publish data on the deaths of elderly care home residents from Covid-19 after disclosing more than a third of Scotland’s care homes have had coronavirus cases.
Jeane Freeman, the Scottish health secretary, sought to douse a secrecy row over the data by confirming the Care Inspectorate had been told of Covid-19 cases in 406 adult care homes, 37% of the total.
The inspectorate, the government agency responsible for inspecting the sector, came under fire from Labour and the Conservatives on Saturday after telling the BBC it had to file a freedom of information request if it wanted detailed figures on deaths and suspected infections at care homes.
Under new emergency laws introduced by the Scottish government, backed by the Scottish Greens and the Scottish information commissioner, public agencies now have up to 60 working days to reply to FoI requests – three times the previous legal limit.
There has been growing anxiety about a surge of Covd-19 deaths in care homes, with several homes experiencing significant outbreaks involving multiple deaths, amid continuing rows about their access to protective equipment and GPs refusing to visit.
More than 50 care home residents, many of whom have serious underlying health conditions, are thought to have died from Covid-19.
Speaking after disclosing that 566 people had now died in Scotland from the virus, with 24 further fatalities in the last 24 hours, Freeman said more detailed figures on care homes would now be published this week.
“We’ve always said we are determined to make sure that the information we have is shared with you as transparently as we possibly can. But it’s really important that we’re confident about the robustness and accuracy of that information,” she said.
The latest national figures for Scotland, which will be revised after further cases are confirmed following the Easter bank holiday, showed a total of 5,912 positive cases, up by 322 from Saturday, and 221 people in intensive care, up by nine.
Updated
Predictions regarding deaths “are not possible”, Hancock and Doyle say, as it all depended on the behaviour of the British population.
Asked whether the government would have to ask itself whether it had the right policies in place in terms of NHS staffing and funding but also immigration after the crisis, Hancock says his party had brought in the NHS visa, and wanted to “pay tribute” to immigrants who have “given their lives working in the NHS”.
“I’m delighted we went into this crisis with record numbers of people and record numbers of funding in the NHS,” he adds.
Updated
Pressed on whether the UK’s response to the crisis and the ordering and distribution of PPE and other vital equipment have been too slow, Hancock says he doesn’t “quite agree with that”.
“We had the stockpiles, we went into this with the stockpiles”, he said, adding the challenge was distribution, and that now used up stockpiles had to be “replenished”.
Updated
Hancock says it is “incumbent” on the government “to learn everything we can so we can better protect people in the future.”
He says there is currently no advice on how long the PM will need to recover fully and that the government is working “incredibly efficiently” in the meantime.
Updated
Pressed on testing in care homes and asked whether he can guarantee the care sector that they can get regular tests, Hancock says he can, “that is coming”.
“This is an area of incredibly high importance,” he says. He added that one of the things the country has succeeded in in this crisis is that people have recognised that care staff are on the frontline as much as NHS staff.
Answering a follow-up question on testing in care homes and the timescale of testing becoming available to them, Hancock says the testing was being rolled out “right now”.
Updated
Asked whether he wants to apologise to healthcare staff in light of calls by the Royal College of Nursing to refuse treatment to patients if no appropriate PPE is available, Hancock says the government is “working night and day” to ensure they “get this right”, but does not apologise.
Updated
Asked about the delivery of PPE, Hancock says “we won’t rest” until everyone gets the necessary PPE delivered, and praised procurement experts.
Updated
Asked about reports that the UK could have the highest death toll in Europe, Hancock responds that “the future of this virus is unknowable”.
Doyle adds that every single one of the over 10,000 deaths is “an absolute tragedy”.
Updated
Doyle starts out by sharing some data on the reduced use of transport and motor vehicles.
In terms of new UK cases, 838 NHS staff had tested positive yesterday and today and, she said.
The rate of people in hospital beds in London is stabilising, Doyle said, but in other regions such as the North West and the North East trends were worsening now, she said.
Hancock was speaking at a desk bearing the message: “Stay home this Easter”.
He has now handed over to Yvonne Doyle, medical director and director of health protection for Public Health England.
Hancock announces new contact tracing app
121,000 PPE gowns have been delivered over the past week, Hancok says. “Thank you to all involved in the herculean effort on PPE,” he says.
He says he wants to outline the next steps for tracing infections via an app, that will allow people to log their symptoms anonymously, data only to be used by NHS staff.
The app is being tested, Hancock says.
Today I wanted to outline the next step: a new NHS app for contact tracing. If you become unwell with the symptoms of coronavirus, you can securely tell this new NHS app and the app will then send an alert anonymously to other app users that you’ve been in significant contact with over the past few days, even before you had symptoms, so that they know and can act accordingly.
All data will be handled according to the highest ethical and security standards, and would only be used for NHS care and research, and we won’t hold it any longer than it’s needed. And as part of our commitment to transparency we’ll be publishing the source code, too.
We’re already testing this app and as we do this we’re working closely with the world’s leading tech companies and renowned experts in digital safety and ethics.”
Updated
Hancock said six further temporary Nightingale hospitals are being built across England, which was possible partly because of a “record number” of 9,775 ventilators that was now available.
Over 5,000 former staff were now back on the NHS frontline, he added.
“We are increasing the amount of PPE, and I’m glad to say that there are now record amounts in the system,” he says.
Updated
“Today marks a sombre day”, Hancock says, as the death toll has topped 10,000 in the UK.
A total of 19,945 people had now been admitted to hospital, he says, which means about half of all hospital admissions have died.
Today is “extra tough”, he says, and thanks people for the part they are playing but warns against complacency.
An additional 150 critical care beds are now available, he says.
Updated
The government’s daily coronavirus briefing has just started, today led by Matt Hancock.
Hancock says he hopes everyone has seen the PM’s “message of love”, and that this will have shown people that the NHS cares for all.
The prime minister praises the NHS staff who have been taking care of him during his stay in St Thomas’ hospital. He left the south London hospital after a week of treatment and will go to Chequers to continue his recovery:
Around half of the A&E staff at the Royal Gwent hospital in Newport, Wales, one of the worst-affected areas in the UK for coronavirus, have tested positive for Covid-19.
According to consultant Tim Rogerson, 50% of the consultants and nurses at the Royal Gwent hospital’s accident and emergency department have tested positive. Rogerson said he had tested positive himself.
The doctor revealed the statistics in a video shared by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board - as he said he had also tested positive for the virus and had been off work since experiencing “mild to moderate” coronavirus symptoms.
1,453 people have tested positive for Covid-19 at the health board, which includes Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen, making it the biggest cluster in Wales and one of the worst in the UK.
“This has obviously happened despite all of the PPE that we’ve got and all the hand washing that we’re doing but it’s probably just a likely thing that’s going to happen when we’re faced with such numbers of patients coming in with coronavirus,” he said.
“It’s probably inevitable and it is proving a challenge when it’s coming to staffing the department when we are facing these numbers coming through.”
Rogerson also urged members of the public to stay indoors over the Easter weekend as breaching social distancing guidelines would hit the hospital’s intensive care unit capacity in “two weeks’ time”.
“Although it’s difficult, we really do want people to abide by the guidance, to stay at home and protect the NHS,” he said.
UK death rate slows as toll passes 10,000
The Department of Health and Social Care has updated the total number of deaths from Covid-19 of people in hospitals in the UK to 10,612, as of 5pm Saturday, a daily rise of 737.
On Saturday, there had been 9,875 hospital deaths recorded in the UK, with a day-on-day rise of 917.
As of 9am 12 April, 352,974 tests have concluded, with 18,000 tests on 11 April, the department said. 282,374 people have been tested of which 84,279 tested positive.
While the daily increase of deaths has slowed, it is unclear how high the actual daily death toll is, as many deaths are being reported days or even weeks after they have occurred.
Updated
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has shared a message of reassurance on Twitter, announcing a citywide mental health and wellbeing movement in the capital aimed at supporting Londoners who feel “worried, anxious or lonely”.
The website of this new campaign, Thrive LDN, contains a message directly addressed to “young Londoners”, urging them “to stay apart and keep our physical distance to ensure we stop the spread of the virus.”
#COVID19 has changed our daily lives, so it’s completely normal to feel worried, anxious or lonely.
— Mayor of London (gov.uk/coronavirus) (@MayorofLondon) April 12, 2020
We’re working with @ThriveLDN to make sure that Londoners have the best tips and advice to support their mental health and wellbeing. Take a look:https://t.co/MsUt4Zx9JJ
Hi all, this is Jedidajah Otte, taking over from my colleague Jessica Murray. If you want to share updates or a story please get in touch via email or on Twitter.
Updated
In his video posted to Twitter, Johnson praised the general public for adhering to lockdown measures and the staff who cared for him when “things could have gone either way”.
“When the natural world is at its loveliest and the outdoor world seems so inviting, I can only imagine how tough it has been to follow the rules on social distancing,” he said.
Although we mourn everyday those who are taken from us in such numbers, and though the struggle is by no means over, we are now making progress in this incredible national battle against coronavirus.
A fight we never picked against an enemy we still don’t entirely understand.
He said the British public have formed a “human shield” around the NHS and that he had seen the pressure the service is under over the past seven days, thanking the wide range of staff who continued to work throughout the outbreak.
“It is thanks to that devotion, that duty, and that love, that out NHS has been unbeatable.”
He thanked a number of staff members by name, including two nurses from New Zealand and Portugal who stood beside his bedside for 48 hours, “when things could have gone either way”, he said.
Updated
Boris Johnson has posted a video on Twitter, praising NHS staff for saving his life, after he left hospital earlier today.
He said: “It is hard to find the words to express my debt to the NHS for saving my life.
“The efforts of millions of people across this country to stay home are worth it.
“Together we will overcome this challenge, as we have overcome so many challenges in the past. #StayHomeSaveLives.”
It is hard to find the words to express my debt to the NHS for saving my life.
— Boris Johnson #StayHomeSaveLives (@BorisJohnson) April 12, 2020
The efforts of millions of people across this country to stay home are worth it. Together we will overcome this challenge, as we have overcome so many challenges in the past. #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/HK7Ch8BMB5
Updated
University Hospitals Birmingham has recorded the highest number of coronavirus-related deaths for any NHS trust in England.
As of 5pm on 11 April, the trust had announced 404 deaths, according to figures from NHS England.
Four other trusts have announced between 200 and 300 deaths.
They are London North West university healthcare NHS trust (272 deaths), the Royal Free London NHS foundation trust (267), King’s College hospital NHS foundation trust (237) and Barts health NHS trust (230).
A further 22 trusts have announced between 100 and 200 deaths.
Updated
Of the 657 new hospital deaths announced on Sunday by NHS England, 121 occurred on 11 April while 531 took place between 1 April and 10 April.
The remaining five deaths occurred in March, with the earliest new death taking place on 26 March.
NHS England releases updated figures each day showing the dates of every coronavirus-related death in hospitals in England, often including new deaths that took place several days or even weeks ago.
This is because of the time it takes for deaths to be confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19, for post-mortem tests to be processed, and for data from the tests to be validated.
The figures published today by NHS England show that 8 April currently has the highest total for the most hospital deaths occurring in a single day (709) although this could change in future updates.
Updated
Head teachers say the Department for Education’s private provider is still failing to deliver the food vouchers designed to replace free school meals for poor families during the Covid-19 lockdown, despite the DfE having “reassured” them that delays would be resolved.
The DfE contracted Edenred, a French voucher vendor, to supply email codes to families with children eligible for free school meals in England.
But last week the Guardian reported that families and schools have not been issued the voucher codes, worth £15 a week for each child, and report frustration and bureaucracy in dealing with Edenred.
One teacher said she spent more than £50 on calls to Edenred’s customer helpline, before discovering that the company had opened a free-phone number.
Others say that the company’s online platform has been frozen and complain of unanswered emails and slow responses, leading the DfE to pledge to work “tirelessly” to clear the backlog.
But during the Easter weekend many families had still failed to receive vouchers, with Edenred telling those who rang to complain: “We have been experiencing enormous traffic to the site.”
Edenred told one teacher on Saturday that it had processed 500,000 voucher codes so far - which left 800,000 still to go, the teacher pointed out.
UK death toll passes 10,000
The UK coronavirus death toll has passed 10,000.
The combined figures from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland make it clear that the official total, when it comes later today, will take the UK past 10,000 deaths.
As of yesterday, the UK had 9,875 confirmed deaths of patients who had contracted Covid-19.
Updated
Almost 5,000 former staff are back on the NHS frontline after coming out of retirement to support the coronavirus effort.
NHS England said on Sunday that the 4,800 returning doctors, nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals in England are the first tranche of those returning to service, with another 10,300 joining them over the next fortnight.
The NHS issued a callout for recent leavers, who left the profession within the past three years, to come back to help care for patients.
The General Medical Council is helping to widen the search by extending its register, so that those who left the service between four and six years ago can also return.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council is due to follow suit later this week with similar measures for nurses and midwives who left the profession four or five years ago.
Ruth May, chief nursing officer for England, said:
Given the scale of the task ahead, we cannot have too many doctors, nurses, midwives or other health and social care staff. If you would like to play your part supporting our colleagues at a time of need, it is not too late – your NHS still needs you.
All returning staff have been given a full induction and training to help them hit the ground running.
Updated
The number of deaths of patients with Covid-19 by region in England are as follows:
- East of England - 82
- London - 130
- Midlands - 125
- North East & Yorkshire - 107
- North West - 94
- South East - 73
- South West - 46
Further 657 deaths in England
NHS England said on Sunday a further 657 people have died in hospital in England after testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the total deaths there to 9,594.
Patients were aged between 26 and 100 years old, and 42 of the 657 patients (aged between 30 and 98 years old) had no known underlying health condition.
Their families have been informed.
Historically, disease outbreaks have happened at a time of social inequality and discord, writes science journalist Laura Spinney.
As the poor get poorer, the thinking goes, their baseline health suffers, making them more prone to infection.
At the same time they are forced to move more, in search of work, and to gravitate to cities.
The rich, meanwhile, have more to spend on luxuries, including products that hail from far-flung places.
The world becomes more tightly connected through trade, and germs, people and luxury goods travel together along trade routes that connect cities.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to expose inequalities across the globe, Spinney explores whether inequality doesn’t just make pandemics worse, but actually causes them.
Deaths in Northern Ireland rise by 11
Northern Ireland has reported 11 more deaths associated with Covid-19, and 89 new cases.
This takes the total number of deaths in the country to 118, and the total number of cases to 1,806.
Hospital chief Dr Ian Abbs has praised the staff at Guy’s and St Thomas’ who looked after the prime minister while he battled Covid-19.
The chief executive at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said:
I am incredibly proud of the staff who have cared for the prime minister and pleased that he is now able to continue his recovery at home.
I want to pay tribute to the teams whose dedication, skill and compassion made this possible.
It is a great credit to the exceptional professionalism of clinical teams, as well as everyone in the wider organisation, that we have been able to care for the prime minister so effectively, while continuing to deliver equally high standards of care to all of our patients.
While it is right that we celebrate this good news, our thoughts turn immediately to those who still need our help at this time.
On behalf of everyone at Guy’s and St Thomas’, I’d ask that people stay home to help us save lives and protect the NHS.
Updated
Wales records 18 more deaths
A further 18 deaths have been reported of people who had tested positive for Covid-19, taking the number of deaths in Wales to 369.
There have been 367 new cases of Covid-19 in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 5,297, although the true number of cases is likely to be higher, Public Health Wales said.
UPDATED STATEMENT
— Public Health Wales (@PublicHealthW) April 12, 2020
367 new cases have tested positive for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wales, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 5,297, although the true number of cases is likely to be higher.
Read more here: https://t.co/PglNsOABbv pic.twitter.com/shVEsJHN5n
Updated
Further 24 deaths in Scotland
A further 24 people have died in Scotland after contracting coronavirus, bringing the total number of deaths to 566.
As of 2pm today, 31,114 Scottish tests have concluded 25,202 confirmed negative and 5,912 positive.
That’s 322 new cases compared to yesterday’s figures.
Update on #coronavirus testing
— Scottish Government (@scotgov) April 12, 2020
As of 2pm today 31,114 Scottish tests have concluded
25,202 confirmed negative
5,912 positive
566 patients who tested positive have sadly died.
Our latest update ➡️ https://t.co/kZjGNz2EDe
Health advice ➡️ https://t.co/l7rqArB6Qu#COVIDー19 pic.twitter.com/jwerf872Zj
Rob Bryden and David Mitchell are among a series of comedians paying tribute to Goodies star Tim Brooke-Taylor, “who had years more joy to give.”
David Mitchell said: “This is terribly sad news. He was a wonderful comedian and a really lovely man and I feel honoured to have known and worked with him.
“The world has been robbed - he had years more joy to give.”
Rob Bryden said he was “a wonderful man”, and he enjoyed “many happy times sat next to him on I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue.”
So sad to hear that the great Tim Brooke Taylor has died. A wonderful man, so many happy times sat next to him on I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue. Here we are with Barry, Colin and Graeme at a celebration of the show in January. He was on great form. My thoughts are with his family. pic.twitter.com/9CfottzJVe
— Rob Brydon (@RobBrydon) April 12, 2020
Comedian Jack Dee, current host of I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue, also paid tribute:
RIP the delightful and brilliant Tim Brooke-Taylor. x pic.twitter.com/TjSzPJIXeK
— Jack Dee (@TheRealJackDee) April 12, 2020
Updated
Carrie Symonds, Boris Johnson’s fiancee, said times “were very dark indeed” as the prime minister battled coronavirus over the past week.
In a series of tweets, she said:
There were times last week that were very dark indeed. My heart goes out to all those in similar situations, worried sick about their loved ones.
Thank you also to everyone who sent such kind messages of support. Today I’m feeling incredibly lucky.
Updated
Tributes are continuing to pour in for The Goodies star Tim Brooke-Taylor, who has died aged 79 after contracting coronavirus.
His Goodies co-star Graeme Garden said he was “terribly saddened by the loss of a dear colleague and close friend of over 50 years”.
He said in a statement: “Tim and I met at Cambridge University in the early 1960s and have enjoyed working together almost constantly from that time onwards, on radio, stage, and TV.
“He was a funny, sociable, generous man who was a delight to work with. Audiences found him not only hilarious but also adorable.
“His loss at this dreadful time is particularly hard to bear, and my thoughts are with Christine, Ben, Edward and their families.”
He was a regular panellist on BBC Radio 4’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue for over 40 years, and current host Jack Dee paid tribute: “It has come as devastating news to hear that Tim has succumbed to this dreadful virus – especially when we all thought he was recovering.
“Tim was a delightful man and never anything but great company.
“It’s always heartbreaking to lose a loved one, but these times have created the cruellest of circumstances for that to happen in.”
Updated
Boris Johnson’s fiancee, Carrie Symonds, has Tweeted her thanks to the NHS after the prime minister was discharged from hospital.
“I cannot thank our magnificent NHS enough,” she said. “The staff at St Thomas’ Hospital have been incredible.
“I will never, ever be able to repay you and I will never stop thanking you.”
I cannot thank our magnificent NHS enough. The staff at St Thomas’ Hospital have been incredible. I will never, ever be able to repay you and I will never stop thanking you. 🌈
— Carrie Symonds (@carriesymonds) April 12, 2020
There were times last week that were very dark indeed. My heart goes out to all those in similar situations, worried sick about their loved ones.
— Carrie Symonds (@carriesymonds) April 12, 2020
Updated
Boris Johnson discharged from hospital
Boris Johnson has been discharged from hospital, Downing Street has confirmed.
A No 10 spokesman said: “The PM has been discharged from hospital to continue his recovery, at Chequers.
“On the advice of his medical team, the PM will not be immediately returning to work. He wishes to thank everybody at St Thomas’ for the brilliant care he has received.
“All of his thoughts are with those affected by this illness.”
The prime minister was first admitted to hospital at 8pm on Sunday 5 April and then transferred to intensive care the following day after his symptoms worsened.
He left the intensive care ward on Thursday evening and released a short statement on Saturday night praising staff at St Thomas’ hospital in London where he was being treated.
“I can’t thank them enough, I owe them my life,” he said.
On Sunday morning, business secretary Alok Sharma said on Sky News that Johnson was “in very good spirits” and that he was “walking about a bit”.
Updated
Comedian and actor Tim Brooke-Taylor dies
Comedian and actor Tim Brooke-Taylor has died after contracting coronavirus, his agent has said.
The 79-year-old was probably most famous as part of television comedy trio, The Goodies.
His agent said in a statement:
It is with great sadness that we announce Tim’s death early today from Covid-19.
Joining Footlights in 1960 took him to providing a huge variety of splendid entertainment – television, radio, theatre, film, books, DVDs, CDs, quizzes, etc – all of which he undertook with energy and a great sense of fun.
We will remember him for so much but must just mention The Goodies and I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue.
He had, of course, many fans whom he always treated cheerfully even after long and exhausting rehearsals and recordings.
He was an exceptional client and a pleasure to represent.
We’re grateful that we have so much of his work to view, read and listen to.
In all the time with us and in all his showbiz work, he has been supported by Christine, his wife.
Comedian and actor Marcus Brigstocke tweeted, “This is terribly sad news... God you made me laugh Tim. RIP you dear, daft, wonderful man.”
This is terribly sad news.
— Marcoooos! (@marcusbrig) April 12, 2020
Touring with Tim & playing with him on ISIHAC was always a privilege & an absolute pleasure.
He was such a warm, silly, funny man - a truly brilliant guest on ‘I’ve Never Seen Star Wars’.
God you made me laugh Tim.
RIP you dear, daft, wonderful man. https://t.co/2Oax7tMCoS
Meanwhile, Sioned Wiliam, Radio 4’s commissioning editor for comedy, said: “Tim Brooke-Taylor had a long and distinguished career in comedy.
“He was charming, quick witted and a hugely skilful comic. He was much loved both by our listeners and by his colleagues, and he will be sorely missed by all at Radio 4.”
Updated
Football legend Sir Kenny Dalglish has left hospital after testing positive for coronavirus, and thanked the “absolutely brilliant” NHS workers who treated him.
The 69-year-old was admitted to hospital on Wednesday for treatment on gallstones, including intravenous antibiotics.
Dalglish underwent a coronavirus test which returned a positive diagnosis for Covid-19. He did not show any symptoms and is now recovering in self-isolation at home.
“I’d just like to thank the doctors, nurses and all the staff for looking after me,” Dalglish wrote in the Sunday Post. “They were absolutely brilliant.
“People may think the Dalglish name got me in and got me the best of care,” he added. “Not so. I was looked after because the NHS staff treat everyone the same. They look upon everyone as human beings.”
Tributes have been paid to two Filipino hospital porters thought to have died after contracting coronavirus in Oxford.
The men, named locally as Oscar King Jr and Elbert Rico, were described as “popular and hard-working” members of the team at the city’s John Radcliffe hospital.
Both men were married to members of the nursing team at the hospital, the trust said.
King Jr, believed to have worked at the hospital for 10 years, was described as a “beloved friend, loving husband, and devoted father” to his 10-year-old daughter.
His wife had also been taken to hospital after suffering severe symptoms, according to a GoFundMe page.
A page set up for Rico said he had worked for the hospital since coming to the UK in 2004, adding that he “loved the work that he did”.
“He was always hard working and would prioritise others’ needs firsts. He would walk around the hospital with a smile on his face and very rarely would he call in sick from work.”
The news comes days after the death of Filipino nurse Leilani Dayrit, who worked at St Cross Hospital in Rugby.
A Commons library report published last year found that more than 18,000 Filipinos work in the NHS, third only to the numbers from Britain and India.
The Philippines also provided more nurses and clinical support staff than any other country outside of the UK, the study found.
Lola McEvoy, NHS organiser for the GMB union, said the porters’ deaths was “awful, awful news”. She added:
Support staff in our NHS are risking their lives to protect us. The sacrifice to our country of those who have lost their lives must never be forgotten.
Ministers’ broken promises on PPE have exposed frontline workers to increased risk. Protective equipment is not just a precious resource – it’s an absolute necessity to protect lives.
Unison general secretary, Dave Prentis, said: “Staff across health, care and key local services are facing huge risks and pressures. These deaths will heighten anxiety and show why the government must sort any problems with PPE supplies immediately.”
Updated
South Korea’s ambassador to the UK has said mandating the use of face masks could help tackle the coronavirus outbreak in the UK.
Enna Park told Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “The Korean government made an official recommendation to wear a mask because from our experience we know that the mask helps reduce the risk of being infected and also transmitting.
“We know that wearing a mask doesn’t completely prevent [people] being infected or [the virus] from transmitting, but it helps.”
She also emphasised the importance of testing: “The main lesson we have learned is testing is very important.
“At the beginning of our outbreak we encouraged medical institutes to develop the testing kits and we gave very quick approval, and we also promoted medical companies to produce the testing kits on the large scale so we built up a stockpile and it was the foundation of mass testing.
“Our strategy was test, trace and treat and it has worked so far.”
She went on: “So far we have conducted more than half a million tests so in terms of population per capita, Korea [is] the highest, the biggest testing country in the world.”
She described how South Korea uses information such as credit card transactions, CCTV and mobile phone GPS data to track down all suspected cases and their contacts for early medical intervention.
Addressing the privacy concerns about using this technology, she said: “The law stipulates to what extent we can collect information and how we can use it [...] so we used that to check only relevant and anonymous information and disclosed only relevant and anonymous information to the public.
“People in Korea, they were willing to compromise their privacy to some extent for the sake of the greater good, for the sake of public health.”
Updated
No shortage of drugs for critically ill, senior medics say
There will be enough drugs to treat critically ill patients in intensive care despite fears of drug shortages, senior medics have said.
Their comments come amid reports key medicines at some intensive care units were in short supply.
Intensive care consultant Dr Ron Daniels told the BBC that the quality of care for all intensive care patients and not just coronavirus sufferers, will “likely be lower” as a result.
But Dr Alison Pittard, dean of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine, said that the NHS was not going to run out of medicines to treat patients and that care will not be compromised.
She told PA Media that medics have been issued new guidance telling them to use alternatives, which were “perfectly safe for patients”.
Pittard added: “We are not going to run out of drugs to treat patients, that’s the bottom line.
There may be shortages of specific drugs but there are always alternatives in the same class that although staff will need to slightly modify their practice, they will be perfectly safe for patients.
We may do things differently, but patient care won’t be compromised because we have to change the choice of drug.
I want to reassure the public – we know what we are doing, we are working together, we know what the situation is, and we are making sure they are our first priority.
Her comments come as she released a joint statement with leaders of the Intensive Care Society, Association of Anaesthetists and Royal College of Anaesthetists.
However, the statement also warned that people should obey social distancing rules in order to reduce the burden on NHS resources.
The Department of Health and Social Care said it had banned the “parallel export” of more than 100 medicines to keep supplies in the UK.
Updated
Walsall council has become the latest local authority to close all access to cemeteries, citing “groups continuing to congregate despite government guidelines regarding social distancing”.
The council said in a statement:
While recognising the disappointment and distress this may cause those that routinely visit and tend the resting place of lost loved ones, the closure has been deemed as necessary, as the battle with Covid-19 continues.
Access to crematorium and cemeteries is now limited for funerals and cremations with a maximum of 10 people permitted in the funeral party.
Updated
Cardiff healthcare worker dies
Healthcare worker Donna Campbell, who worked at the Velindre cancer centre in Cardiff, has died after testing positive for coronavirus, health officials said.
Campbell, who was a healthcare support worker, died at the University Hospital Wales in Cardiff.
Steve Ham, chief executive of Velindre university NHS trust, said: “We are devastated to have lost a member of the Velindre family.
“We will always remember her as a dedicated, hard-working member of our nursing team who was proud to work for the NHS.
“First and foremost, we want to extend our deepest condolences to Donna’s family and friends.”
Updated
A cross-party letter is calling on the UK government to ensure equitable access to any Covid-19 vaccine.
The letter, signed by MPs and peers from all political parties in Westminster, asked the government to ensure any publicly funded vaccine is available on an open-access basis so developing countries can afford to purchase and produce the vaccine at a reasonable cost.
Any pharmaceutical monopoly could see developing countries left behind, the letter said.
The chair of the all-party parliamentary group on vaccinations for all, Dr Philippa Whitford MP, wrote the letter. She said:
The UK government must work cooperatively with the rest of the world and ensure that any Covid-19 vaccine will not be patented, to create a monopoly, but allow equitable access across the world.
Just as coronavirus does not see borders, it is absolutely crucial that the fight against the virus is a worldwide effort.
The UK government should follow the lead of Costa Rica in supporting a global sharing or open access mechanism so that any patent rights are held by the World Health Organization.
While this a humanitarian approach, it also makes sense from a public health perspective.
Updated
A hospital trust has said it was forced to intervene with Cambridgeshire police after officers stopped staff on their way to work and told them NHS ID cards were insufficient evidence of essential travel.
In its newsletter, seen by the Guardian, bosses at Cambridge University hospitals foundation trust said they had received reports from staff who had been “stopped by the police on their way to work and asked to confirm if their travel was essential”. The newsletter went on:
When staff showed their NHS ID and said they were on their way into or from work, they were advised by the police officers that this was insufficient evidence of essential travel.
Following these reports the trust has been in discussions with Cambridgeshire Constabulary. It has confirmed it will remind all police officers that such an explanation together with an NHS ID badge is sufficient evidence.
Cambridgeshire police was forced to apologise on Friday after officers sent a tweet saying they had been checking “non-essential aisles” of a local supermarket to make sure they were empty.
Updated
A “giant of a man” and “father figure” to police officers on the Isle of Man has died after he contracted Covid-19.
Retired sergeant Richard Lloyd, 57, died in hospital on Saturday, the second death on the island from the virus.
A married father-of-one, Lloyd had strong connections with Merseyside police where he followed in the footsteps of his parents who served in the force, and where his son, Andrew, is currently a sergeant.
He later moved to the Isle of Man to carry on his police service and went on to become head coach of the island’s judo team.
Tributes poured in for Lloyd, including from the island’s Chief Constable Gary Roberts, who tweeted on Saturday: “Today has been the saddest of my 36 yr police career. So many of us are heartbroken after the death of a friend, colleague and giant of a man, who has been taken by this wicked virus.”
Today has been the saddest of my 36 yr police career. So many of us are heartbroken after the death of a friend, colleague and giant of a man, who has been taken by this wicked virus.
— CC Gary Roberts (@CCGaryRoberts) April 11, 2020
His son Andrew tweeted: “He died alone but with a team of now traumatised medics. If 1 person stayed home, he’d be alive. Stay home. Please.”
My dad died today in isle of man. Covid19. I live in UK. I am his only son. I cant make his funeral. My 87yr old nan is isolated in a care home. He leaves a wife. He died alone but with a team of now traumatised medics. If 1 person stayed home, hed be alive. Stay home. Please
— lloyd289 (@neil_andrews999) April 11, 2020
Updated
Ministers are resisting demands for an emergency recall of parliament to respond to urgent questions about the coronavirus outbreak.
The Commons leader, Jacob Rees-Mogg, has insisted MPs will return on 21 April, the date agreed before the Easter recess.
MPs approved the Easter adjournment timings on 25 March, minutes before the chamber rose, at a time when the increasing impact of Covid-19 was clear.
The motion was unopposed although several concerns were raised by opposition parties about their inability to scrutinise major decisions in this four-week period.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has demanded “urgent talks” with the government to discuss how MPs can put questions to ministers given the rising death toll and concerns over personal protective equipment supplies to NHS staff, among other issues.
He added parliament must be recalled “as soon as possible” when asked about the issue on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday.
A letter signed by a cross-party group of MPs demanding an “immediate virtual recall of parliament” has also been sent to Dominic Raab, who is deputising for prime minister Boris Johnson as he recovers from Covid-19.
Talks involving commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the government, opposition parties and parliamentary officials are expected to continue this week about proposals for a “virtual parliament” and what role technology can play as social distancing measures remain in place.
But only the government can request the speaker to recall the commons.
It is unclear whether a small group of MPs will still attend the chamber after recess, with others allowed to question ministers from their homes by webcam.
Updated
Schools should consider opening in some form over the six-week summer holidays to help children catch up with the curriculum – and to provide childcare for families who need to get back to work, the children’s commissioner has said.
Anne Longfield said that when schools are allowed to reopen, they could be vital during the long summer holidays.
It would be really valuable, if the scientific advice says they can, to have schools consider opening in some form over the summer holidays to help children learn and catch up but also to offer them a safe place to play and socialise with friends.
It would also provide vital childcare for families who need to get their incomes back up as they, hopefully, return to work.
Confusion persists over whether employees can be forced by their bosses to take holidays while on the government’s furlough scheme.
One worker contacted the Guardian to complain their employer was spending official furlough money to cover wages now and also using it to pay down holiday entitlement that would otherwise be payable later in the year.
John Bowers QC, a barrister specialising in employment law, told the Guardian: “There is a split in the legal profession as to whether employees on furlough can be required to take part of their leave. Both government guidance and Acas guidance is ambiguous on this (perhaps deliberately) but this makes it difficult for employers to handle this.”
One law service published online advice stating: “You could insist employees take their holiday entitlement … so that when you get busier again your staff are there to support income generation rather than taking their holidays”.
The solicitors Farrer & Co agreed the situation was unclear but said: “Our preliminary view is that, unless and until we have guidance to the contrary, it seems employees can be required to take holiday during furlough and the pay they receive during this time will depend on whether employees are receiving furlough pay or topping up.”
The Guardian attempted to clarify the confusion. The Treasury press office redirected the inquiry to HM Revenue and Customs which, in turn, insisted it was a matter that for the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy department.
BEIS stated that it was a Treasury responsibility.
Updated
Medics trained overseas are being barred from the UK coronavirus frontline, reports Nosheen Iqbal.
Thousands of experienced foreign doctors are being excluded from the battle against coronavirus by “unnecessary and hostile red tape”.
A petition co-ordinated by RefuAid and Help Refugees, is calling on the General Medical Council (GMC) to make the registration process for overseas-qualified doctors faster and more straight-forward so they can help treat Covid-19 patients.
Jennifer Lee specialised in respiratory and intensive care medicine for more than a decade in New York. She said:
So much energy and resources have gone into trying to recruit former doctors, many of them older and at higher risk, back into the NHS, when there is an eager cohort of us ready to go.
I’ve been doing everything I can to get registered with the GMC and have just been stalled and faced roadblocks at every turn.
This is an international emergency; I’m a doctor and it’s my calling. It’s beyond frustrating to not be able to help.
Tax rises could be required to deal with the economic cost of the coronavirus crisis, Sir Keir Starmer said as he warned against further austerity measures.
The Labour leader tentatively hinted at an increase in taxes when pressed about what Labour would do to pay for the extra costs associated with the Covid-19 response.
But he insisted “pretending” he could answer what would be needed in 2024 is “not something I’m going to do”, acknowledging the damage to the economy is unclear.
Sir Keir added that a different approach to that adopted by the Conservatives since 2010 would be needed, with key workers requiring better support.
The government has committed tens of billions of pounds of taxpayers’ cash in a bid to support businesses and keep people in jobs during the lockdown.
Appearing on Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Starmer said:
We can’t go out every Thursday on our doorsteps and clap for our key workers who are keeping us going in this period, and then at the end of this return to business as usual.
What we can’t have is another decade of austerity on top of this decade of austerity.
Just look what it’s done to the health service, public services, social care, all of these areas that are now so being relied on have been cut for 10 years.
Updated
The Liberal Democrats are demanding an immediate recall of parliament, saying the announcement today that it will resume on 21 April as planned “is not good enough”.
The acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, said:
The government’s failure to deliver on key promises to NHS and social care workers, especially over supplies of protective equipment, has become a national scandal.
On top of this, we are now hearing reports of shortages of critical medicines for treating Covid-19 patients in some hospitals.
He said recalling parliament on 21 April – in 10 days’ time – is not good enough and that “MPs from across the house must have the opportunity to ask ministers the urgent questions at the earliest opportunity, particularly on life or death issues like the supply of protective kit and essential medicine”.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the House of Commons, said “technological solutions” would be used to allow parliament to sit, but did not provide details.
Davey called for Rees-Mogg to clarify “exactly what form any recalled parliament will take”, adding:
For the government to maintain the support of the opposition, we must have complete transparency. That is the only way we can all play our part to protect our frontline workers and beat the coronavirus.
Updated
A third of UK surgeons and surgical trainees do not believe they have an adequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) in their trust, with wide regional variations, a survey has found.
More than half of those who responded (57%) to the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) of England survey said there have been shortages in the past 30 days.
The survey of nearly 2,000 surgeons and trainees showed a postcode lottery when it comes to PPE. More than half (52%) of respondents in the Thames Valley said they now have access to adequate PPE, but that dropped to just over a third (34.7%) in the North West.
In London, which has been at the heart of the outbreak in the UK, a third (33.4%) of respondents said they do not believe their trust has an adequate supply of PPE.
The survey was carried out after improved PPE guidance was issued by the Department of Health and Social Care at the beginning of April
Sue Hill, RCS vice-president, said:
The guidance is now much improved, but we have consistently said that advice about what protection to use for which medical procedures is rendered meaningless if the kit doesn’t reach the front line.
More than half of those responding to the survey also expressed scepticism about their chances of getting a Covid-19 test for themselves, should they need one.
Confidence was particularly low in the East of England, where 75% of surgeons said they believed they would not get access to a test.
One surgeon, who responded to the survey said:
The lack of mask wearing in general patient contact has been scandalous. I caught Covid-19 from a patient on the ward who was pre-symptomatic but later tested positive. He infected at least six staff. One of my colleagues remains very sick from this.
I was denied a test even on appeal. We were ‘spoken to’ for wearing simple masks and gloves in general ward areas. We agreed to submit to authority but strongly disagreed that there was no risk.
The RCS is urging its members not to risk their health, and that of their patients, by carrying out risky procedures without adequate PPE.
Updated
Future waves of coronavirus are “probably inevitable” without a vaccine in place, said Sir Jeremy Farrar, the director of the Wellcome Trust.
“It is my view that treatment and vaccines are our only true exit strategy from this,” he told the BBC.
We are determined that we don’t go through this ever again and I think the chances of second and third waves of this epidemic are probably inevitable.
And therefore having the right treatments to save lives and also having a vaccine in the future is going to be absolutely critical to prevent those second and third waves.
On the prospect of a vaccine, he added: “The vaccine I think will be available during the autumn of this year but that will not be at the scale required to vaccinate maybe billions of people around the world.”
Updated
Easter eggs have been delivered to hospitals around the UK as a thank you to NHS staff and those forced to spend the bank holiday away from family.
More than 1,800 eggs were given out by the Chocolate Society, which set itself a challenge of seeing how many it could make in a 24-hour period of non-stop production.
Al and Duncan Garnsworthy, who run the company, said the team worked from 8.30am to 8.30am the following day to produce eggs and show their support for hard-working healthcare staff.
In a post on Instagram after completing the challenge, Al said: “We have produced more than we ever thought we would. I am super proud of the team.”
The company also raised more than £3,000 for Heroes, an organisation that helps support the NHS and will help distribute the eggs.
A council that was criticised for banning all mourners at its crematorium says it will now let relatives attend outside the building.
City of York council said last week it was following other local authorities and stopping all funeral services at cremations – a move that York Central MP Rachael Maskell said “was a step too far” and a possible breach of the UN declaration of human rights.
On Saturday evening, the council changed its policy and said in a statement: “Following the announcement of unattended cremations, faith groups and the council have confirmed that they will offer a faith officiant present at the crematorium to undertake the committal of the body according to the appropriate religious rites, and that celebrants or a minister can read your words during the private cremation and that this will be recorded for families.
“The immediate family may wish to attend York crematorium, remaining outside to pay their respects, similarly at Fulford cemetery, whilst following official social distancing guidelines.”
The council confirmed that “in all cases no mourners can be present inside the crematorium”.
Maskell said on Twitter: “York’s reissued crematorium policy does not go far enough. I can’t understand why they are making this so hard for distraught families. It is going to have to change again.”
Over 3,500 people have signed a petition calling for a maximum of five immediate family members be allowed to attend the funerals.
York's re-issued crematorium policy does not go far enough. I can't understand why they are making this so hard for distraught families. It is going to have to change again.
— Rachael Maskell MP (@RachaelMaskell) April 11, 2020
Updated
UK could have worst death rate in Europe
Sir Jeremy Farrar, the director of the Wellcome Trust, said it was possible the UK could end up with the worst coronavirus death rate in Europe.
Sir Farrer, who is a member of the Sage committee, which advises the government on the pandemic, said on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show:
The numbers in the UK have continued to go up. I do hope we’re coming close to the number of new infections reducing … and the number of deaths plateauing and starting to come down.
And yes, the UK is likely to be certainly one of the worst, if not the worst affected country in Europe.
He said continuing testing in the community would “buy you time” to deal with the crisis, giving an additional six to eight weeks to ensure health systems were up to capacity.
“Undoubtedly there are lessons to learn from that,” Sir Jeremy said.
Updated
The shadow foreign secretary, Lisa Nandy, has said the Labour party will support any necessary extension of the lockdown, but said more support needs to be put in place to help people through it.
“If the lockdown has to continue, then of course we’ll support it,” she said this morning on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show.
She joined the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, in saying the government needs to set out its lockdown exit strategy.
“You need to be open and transparent with the public so they understand why they’re being asked to do the things they are, and so they can see some light at the end of the tunnel,” Nandy said.
She also called on the government to name an interim foreign secretary replacement while Dominic Raab deputises for prime minister Boris Johnson as he recovers from Covid-19 in hospital.
She also said that, while the crisis was unprecedented, the government was slow to act in some respects.
To be fair to the government, this is quite unprecedented for Britain, and we’re a country that has always taken civil liberties very seriously. These are big measures the government has taken over the past couple of weeks, and not a foreseeable crisis.
But it is also right to acknowledge that in some areas we haven’t been able to act quickly enough. Some of it is because it was unprecedented, but some of it is because we were in quite a weakened state as a country.
When we come out the other side of this … I think we do really need to reflect on how we need to change as a country. We should never again be in a position where our public services don’t have the resilience they need to respond, and where families are only one step away from financial collapse.
Updated
Parliament to return on 21 April with 'technological solutions'
Parliament remains on course to return on 21 April, a date agreed by MPs before the Easter recess, despite demands for an emergency recall.
A spokesman for the Commons leader, Jacob Rees-Mogg, said:
Parliament will return on 21 April to fulfil its essential constitutional functions of conducting scrutiny, authorising spending and making laws.
In these unprecedented times, technological solutions have already been implemented for select committees and options are being prepared for the Speaker, the government and other parties to consider next week.
It is important that we have a comprehensive solution that does not inadvertently exclude any members.
The Leader of the House of Commons will respond to the leader of the opposition’s letter in the usual way.
Updated
Addressing concerns that only 1.4% of the 300,000 applications for business support had been processed, business secretary Alok Sharma said he had held conversations with lenders to speed up loan payouts.
Speaking to Sky News, he said: “I have spent the last couple of days talking directly to some of the largest lenders who are part of this scheme.
“I am very clear to say to them, we need to get money out of the door as soon as possible and they understand that and banks know on this occasion why they have to be part of the solution and they want to be part of the solution.”
Sharma said £800m had been paid out as part of 4,200 loans under the coronavirus business support measures.
Asked whether he was worried, the business secretary said: “Well, of course. It is not just a question of me being worried – I completely understand the concerns that businesses have.”
Updated
The archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, delivered his first digital Easter Sunday service from his kitchen in London.
“Welcome to the kitchen of our home on Easter Day,” he said. “At this very difficult time in the life of the nation and of the world, our prayers today are especially with those who are suffering, with those who care for them, and for all who mourn.”
The service was pre-recorded on the archbishop’s iPad, with him wearing full robes and having set up a makeshift altar on his dining table
He was joined “virtually” by bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkins and a 10-year-old parishioner named Theo from the diocese of Canterbury.
Updated
Nurses should refuse to treat patients if not given PPE, says royal college
Nurses should refuse to treat Covid-19 patients “as a last resort” if they are not given adequate personal protective equipment, according to guidance from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
At least 19 NHS workers are known to have died during the coronavirus outbreak, and the government has been criticised for failing to provide enough protection.
A spokesman for RCN said: “For nursing staff, this will go against every instinct. But their safety must not be compromised.”
The union said it would provide legal assistance to those making what it acknowledged was an “enormously difficult decision”.
Business secretary Alok Sharma said health workers should not be put in such a position. He told Sky News: “It is absolutely right that no medical professional should be placed in a position where they have to make that choice.
“That for me is self-evident. That is why we are making sure we get the equipment to the front line.”
Sharma added: “In a normal circumstance, you would have us providing PPE to about 233 hospital trusts across the country. We are now talking about supplying 58,000 NHS and social care settings.
“That is a huge increase and on top of that, there is huge global demand for PPE and that does put a squeeze on supply.”
Updated
The leader of the Labour party, Sir Keir Starmer, has said now is “not the time to ask difficult questions” on whether the government was too slow to act on the coronavirus crisis, but said more scrutiny of decisions is needed.
“I challenge the government hard on this, not just to score a point, but to fix it,” said Starmer on Sophy Ridge on Sunday, adding that challenging questions will need to be asked in time.
“I’m trying to resist calls for apologies or criticising past decisions. I will work with the government on this, we will support them in trying to get this right.”
He said “it would be smart” of the government to acknowledge it has failed to meet its ambitions on personal protective equipment for NHS staff and apologise.
He also welcomed the announcement from the leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, that parliament will return on 21 April using “technological solutions”.
“It’s very important in a crisis like this that parliament is sitting so decisions must be scrutinised,” said Starmer. He also called on the government to set out its lockdown exit strategy
Updated
The business secretary, Alok Sharma, stopped short of apologising for the lack of adequate protective equipment for NHS staff on the frontline.
Speaking on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Sharma said: “I am extremely sorry for the loss of any life that has taken place during this global pandemic.
“It is our job to make sure we get that protective equipment out to them. We do have a plan, we’re putting that in place.”
He also praised British companies who have joined the effort to produce more personal protective equipment (PPE).
He refused to comment on any extension to the lockdown in the UK, but when asked about tightening restrictions, he said:“I don’t think that’s particularly helpful at this stage.”
When asked about the health of prime minister Boris Johnson, who is no longer in intensive care, Sharma said: “He’s in very good spirits. He’s walking about a bit.”
Updated
Boris Johnson has praised the NHS staff at St Thomas’ Hospital who have cared for him during his time in hospital.
In his first statement since leaving intensive care, Johnson said: “I can’t thank them enough, I owe them my life.”
A No 10 spokeswoman said on Saturday: “The prime minister continues to make very good progress.”
Johnson’s fiancee, Carrie Symonds, provided the prime minister with daily updates while he was in hospital, including scans of their unborn child, as he struggled with coronavirus in hospital, a Downing Street source confirmed.
Updated
The Post Office is making two of its products available to all UK banks, building societies and credit unions, to make it easier for people who are self-isolating to access cash.
The products are Payout Now - a voucher sent by text, email or post to a customer who can share it with a trusted person to withdraw cash; and Fast Pace - a service allowing a customer to arrange for a trusted person to collect a cheque from them, cash it at Post Office and return with the money.
Martin Kearsley, banking director at the Post Office, said: “The vast majority of post offices are open, however there are branches that have to close for self-isolation reasons.
He said anyone collecting cash on someone else’s behalf must remember to practise safe distancing and should consider arranging with the recipient how the cash can be safely handed over - through a person’s letterbox, for example.
Good morning, this is Jessica Murray, and I’ll be running the live blog tracking the latest coronavirus developments in the UK this Easter Sunday.
Feel free to get in touch to share your experiences, or with any tips, comments and suggestions via jessica.murray@theguardian.com or via Twitter (@journojess_)
Tributes have been paid to three more nurses who died after contracting Covid-19, with more than 30 NHS staff now thought to have died with the virus.
On Saturday, Central and North West London (CNWL) NHS Foundation Trust confirmed Sara Trollope, a nurse employed by the trust, had died at Watford General Hospital after testing positive for Covid-19.
Paying tribute to the mother-of-four who worked at Hillingdon Hospital, medical director Dr Paul Hopper said: “Sara had that unbeatable combination of kindness, selflessness and total determination to get things right for patients. She was an example to every one of us.”
It comes after Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust confirmed the death of a nurse who was self-isolating due to Covid-19 symptoms.
Julie Omar, 52, was an experienced nurse who had been working at Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital.
Trust chief executive Matthew Hopkins said: “It is with great sorrow that I have to share with you the sad news that a much-loved member of our nursing team - Julie Omar - has died.”
Gareth Roberts, who had been a nurse since the 1980s, was also confirmed to have died after testing positive for the virus, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said.
Two porters at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford were also confirmed to have died.
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said on Saturday that both men were married to nursing staff at the hospital.
On Saturday morning, Health Secretary Matt Hancock paid tribute to those who had died, then announcing a total of 19 deaths.
He said: “My heart goes out to their families, these are people who have put themselves on the front line.
