Evening summary
- The UK hospital death toll rose to 9,875 after a further 917 people died in hospital after testing positive for Covid-19, up from 8,958 the previous day.
-
Turkey has supplied the UK with 250,000 items of protective equipment, the Ministry of Defence announced. The shipment includes 50,000 N-95 face masks; 100,000 surgical masks; and 100,000 protective suits; and will be taken to a regional NHS distribution hub to be delivered to medical centres across the country.
- The seemingly disproportionate effect of Covid-19 on people from BAME backgrounds needs to be urgently investigated by the government, according to the head of the British Medical Association, whose comments came after it was revealed that 19 NHS workers have died after contracting coronavirus.
- The health secretary Matt Hancock faced a backlash after he said PPE was “a precious resource” that health staff should not “overuse”. This angered many in the health sector, including the Royal College of Nursing who called the suggestion that health professionals who don’t have the supplies they need were abusing or overusing PPE offensive.
- The home secretary Priti Patel launched a national communications campaign for those at risk of domestic abuse to signpost victims to where they can access help. Up to £2m will also be used to enhance online support services and helplines for domestic abuse.
Anyone who needs help in a domestic abuse situation, but is fearful an abuser may hear them calling, can dial 999 and press 55, which will let the police know they need assistance.
- And finally, the prime minister Boris Johnson “continues to make very good progress” in his recovery at St Thomas’ hospital.
I’d like to say a huge thank you to everybody who got in touch today with a story and to all of you for reading along.
That’s it from us here on the UK side, but you can head over to our global live blog where our worldwide coverage of the coronavirus pandemic continues.
This is from the BBC’s Jessica Parker.
In an update sent out on Friday (yesterday), Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust warns staff it could run out of disposable gowns by Sunday.
NEW
— Jessica Parker (@MarkerJParker) April 11, 2020
London hospital trust warns staff it could run out of disposable gowns by Sunday
Understand note was sent yesterday #coronavirus #ppe pic.twitter.com/9BE0o8lCtt
Patel, asked where she had been in recent weeks, said she had been working “virtually every single day” on a range of policy areas related to the pandemic.
Whether it’s through the visa changes that I’ve brought in over the last three weeks or whether it’s the work of the Border Force where we were absolutely prioritising medical equipment, these are the changes that I have been working on.
Patel said it it would be wrong to speculate about when the restrictions will be lifted, adding:
When it comes to the long-term situation none of us can stand here today - and it would be wrong for us to do this - and speculate in terms of when restrictions might move and when they will be lifted
This government, and rightly so, is following the scientific advice through, which meets twice a week, Sage, to look at the type of measures and approaches that we are taking as a government.
They are taking questions from the media now.
Patel, when pressed to apologise to NHS workers over a lack of personal protective equipment, couldn’t quite do it. She said:
I’m sorry if people feel that there have been failings.
After being asked twice if she would apologise to NHS staff and their families over the lack of “necessary PPE” that has been linked to NHS workers becoming infected and dying, she said:
I’ve been very clear in what I have said and I’m sorry that people feel that way.
Updated
Powis has reiterated that the NHS remains available for people who are unwell with conditions that are not coronavirus and people should access services in the way they always have done.
It is a bank holiday weekend, general practices are open, pharmacies are.
So if you are unwell with a condition that is not coronavirus - if you have symptoms of a heart attack or symptoms of a stroke, if you have a sick child that’s deteriorating, if you’re a pregnant woman and you are worried about the movement of your baby - then you should be accessing services in the same way that you always have done.
The NHS is open for business and capable of managing people with a wide range of illnesses.
Updated
Stephen Powis, NHS England’s medical director, is speaking now.
He acknowledged anger at the few members of the public ignoring the rules and paid tribute to the vast majority complying.
Transport use remains low.
There has been a stabilisation in the number of new cases, “by and large” this has levelled off, he said.
In turn, this is translating into early signs of stabilisation and first signs of a plateau in the number of people being hospitalised.
We are still seeing high numbers of deaths – this will be the very final thing that will start to decrease. As long as people continue to follow the rules, this will begin to translate into a reduction in the number of people dying.
Hewitt said the National Police Chiefs’ Council will publish enforcement data every fortnight throughout the crisis.
Hewitt said that “in those few cases” where officers or police forces have “made mistakes in interpreting the new regulations” they have quickly sought to correct them and provide the necessary clarity.
Hewitt said since the new powers have been introduced, most people have quickly understood why it’s important to follow the rules and no enforcement has been necessary.
However, a small minority of people have refused to follow the instructions and officers have had to use their enforcement powers.
He said next week they will publish the data on their enforcement so far, which will include the Easter weekend, but early data from 37 forces reveal 1,084 fines have been issued in England and Wales up to 8 April, an average of less than 84 per day across those forces.
Hewitt reinforced the words of the home secretary to victims of domestic abuse – “we will come when you call for help”.
And to abusers, he said – “do not think this is a time when you can get away with this”.
We will still arrest, we will still bring into custody, and we will still prosecute.
Martin Hewitt, the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, is speaking now.
He has given a number of examples of how the police continue to keep the country safe during the lockdown, including a man in London who was jailed for stealing PPE from a hospital.
The National Crime Agency is taking down fraudulent websites and email addresses.
He said initial figures from all forces show a 21% fall in overall crime across the last four weeks compared to the same period last year.
Keep reporting crime to us. Our teams are working round the clock to keep you safe and respond to emergencies.
Patel has thanked police for “engaging with the public constructively” in enforcing physical distancing measures.
She said the vast majority of people were following the guidelines, but the police “will be unafraid” to act if people choose to endanger the lives of others and flout the rules.
Patel said it should be perpetrators who should have to leave the family homes, but this is not always possible.
To ensure victims have a safe place to go to, the government is “looking at alternative accommodation” to provide refuge at this time.
Home secretary launches campaign to help domestic abuse victims during lockdown
Patel said though there has not yet been a sustained rise in reports of domestic abuse to the police, there has been an increase in those seeking help for domestic abuse, which is “extremely concerning”.
Anyone in immediate danger should dial 999 and press 55 on a mobile if you’re unable to talk.
Patel has launched a national communications campaign to reach out to those who are at risk of abuse to signpost victims to where they can access help they need at this time.
It will tell them that they are not alone.
She is also providing up to £2m to enhance online support services and helplines for domestic abuse.
Updated
Patel said the crisis is changing the challenges we face in terms of crime.
Total crime has dropped as people follow the guidelines and stay at home, but criminality continues to adapted.
Fraudsters have caused losses of £1.8m to victims and children are being exploited online.
Last week, the national domestic abuse helpline reported a 120% increase in the number of calls it received in one 24-hour period.
Patel said the prime minister “continues to make good progress”.
The home secretary is speaking now.
As of 9am today, 78,991 people have tested positive for Covid-19 across the UK, excluding Northern Ireland.
20,101 patients are currently in hospital in Great Britain who have tested positive.
9,875 people have now died, an increase of 917 on yesterday’s figures.
Greater Manchester police (GMP) have apologised after a man was threatened with pepper spray and arrested as he dropped off food for vulnerable family members.
A neighbour used his mobile phone to film the moment an officer approached the man outside an address in Fallowfield, Manchester, on Friday. It is understood the man was then de-arrested and issued with a fixed penalty notice.
The Daily Mail has the story.
In a statement (below) GMP said the incident “wasn’t dealt with in the professional way we would expect and we apologise for that” and also asked the public to bear with the police who are working under stress in the current situation.
Statement in relation to footage circulating of an incident in #Fallowfield in #Manchester. pic.twitter.com/Dxxvu9ZGOK
— Greater Manchester Police #StayHomeSaveLives (@gmpolice) April 11, 2020
Updated
Downing Street coronavirus briefing
The government’s daily news conference is due to begin shortly and will be led for the first time by the home secretary, Priti Patel.
Alongside her will be Stephen Powis, NHS England’s medical director, and Martin Hewitt, the chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
Updated
The shadow foreign secretary, Lisa Nandy, has called on Dominic Raab to name a minister to run the Foreign Office while he deputises for the prime minister. She said:
Over the coming days and weeks, decisions will need to be taken in real time to coordinate a response to this crisis that will rightly demand the full attention of Dominic Raab and his team.
It is crucial, however, that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to function effectively during this period. This is a global crisis and demands a global response.
In addition, the swift and safe repatriation of UK citizens currently stranded overseas must be an absolute priority. There is growing concern that thousands of people are not able to access the support and advice they urgently need to return home. They must not be left to face this crisis alone.
We are calling on Dominic Raab to immediately name a minister with responsibility for the day to day running of the Foreign Office while he deputises for the prime minister. This is to ensure we can support our citizens around the world and demonstrate the leadership necessary to overcome the challenges ahead.
Updated
The BBC has provided extra detail on its donation of two working ventilators from the set of Holby City to the NHS’s new Nightingale hospital in London’s docklands.
A spokesperson for BBC Studios, which makes the medical drama, said:
Prior to the coronavirus crisis Holby City Production took delivery of two working anaesthetic machines with ventilators attached but immediately asked our supplier to offer them to the NHS when we became aware of the urgent demand several weeks ago. We received confirmation this week they had been sent to Nightingale London.”
Fully operational ventilators from the Holby City set arrived at the new Nightingale Hospital yesterday. @BBCCasualty & @BBCHolbyCity Exec Producer Simon Harper said: "We are only too happy to help out and do what we can for the courageous and selfless real life medics." pic.twitter.com/oUFaRPVhyn
— BBC Studios (@bbcstudios) April 10, 2020
Most equipment used on the show is outdated but the donated kit was a recent addition. The spokesperson added:
The other ventilators currently used on set were purchased many years ago and are unsuitable for medical use whereas the machines delivered to the NHS were replacements that would allow the show to more accurately reflect a modern hospital setting.
All the personal protection equipment on Holby City, Casualty and River City has gone to support our amazing NHS staff at several locations around the UK.
Updated
Deaths in Northern Ireland rise by 15 to 107
The number of people with coronavirus who have died in a hospital setting in Northern Ireland has risen to 107, with 15 further deaths reported on Saturday.
There were 128 new cases of the virus, bringing the total of confirmed positive tests in the region since the outbreak began to 1,717.
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.
Al and Duncan Garnsworthy, who run the company, worked from 8.30am until 9am the following day to show their support for hard-working healthcare staff.
On Wednesday at 8.30am we launched our Easter Eggathon with all eggs made and donated to the amazing NHS staff whilst also raising money for the charity Heroes.
— Chocolate Society (@ChocSoc) April 10, 2020
We made 1826 Easter eggs in 24 hours! Please visit our GoFundMe page for more info!https://t.co/8f4P2ngELa pic.twitter.com/NPrFuuEE8X
The company also raised more than 3,000 for Heroes, an organisation that helps support the NHS and will help distribute the eggs.
Healthcare workers were not the only ones to receive a treat, with SalutetheNHS.org delivering chocolate eggs to children in hospitals around the UK.
The campaign, which has a goal of serving a million meals to the NHS front line, wanted to deliver a surprise to children who may be separated from families due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Tesco supplied the eggs, which were then distributed by Yodel.
We're delivering Cadbury Easter eggs to children who are in hospital this holiday weekend and potentially separated from their families due to COVID-19 restrictions. A huge shoutout to @Tesco for donating the delicious eggs and @YodelOnline for delivering! #SalutetheNHS
— SalutetheNHS (@SaluteNHS) April 11, 2020
Ron Dennis, co-founder of SalutetheNHS.org, said:
Our aim here is to bring some joy to sick children stuck in hospitals over the Easter holiday weekend, and at a time when the awful Covid-19 virus might prevent them from being with their parents. Hopefully, it will bring a smile.
Updated
UK death toll rises by 917 to 9,875
A total of 9,875 patients have died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 5pm on Friday, the Department of Health and Social Care has said, up by 917 from 8,958 the day before.
It added 334,974 tests have been carried out in the UK as of 9am on Saturday, including 18,091 tests on Friday.
Of the the 269,598 people tested, 78,991 have tested positive for Covid-19.
Updated
Further 47 people die in Scotland bringing total to 542
A total of 542 people who tested positive for coronavirus in Scotland have died, a rise of 47 on Friday’s figure, according to the Scottish government.
Across the country, 29,903 people have now been tested for Covid-19, with 5,590 testing positive.
As of Friday night, 1,855 patients were in hospital with either confirmed or suspected coronavirus, an increase of 23.
Of those, 212 were being treated in intensive care units, up five from the previous night and the same number as on Thursday.
Updated
Thank you to everyone who has sent me emails and DMs with tips for the live blog. I really appreciate all your messages, especially the ones thanking the Guardian for its coverage.
Please do continue to get in touch throughout the day with any stories, tips, advice or comments for me via the usual channels (below). Your thoughts are always welcome, and apologies if I can’t reply to you all.
Email: lucy.campbell@guardian.co.uk
Twitter: @lucy_campbell_
Updated
Another 823 deaths in England bring death toll to 8,937
NHS England said a further 823 people have died in hospital in England after testing positive for coronavirus, including an 11-year-old child, bringing the death toll there to 8,937.
The patients were aged between 11 and 102 years old and 33 of the 823 patients (aged between 29 and 94 years old) had no known underlying health condition.
Of the 823 new hospital deaths announced today by NHS England, 115 occurred on 10 April while 695 took place between 1-9 April.
The remaining 12 deaths occurred in March, with the earliest new death taking place on 25 March.
NHS England releases updated figures every 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, post-mortem tests to be processed, and data from the tests to be validated.
The figures published today by NHS England show that 4 April currently has the highest total for the most hospital deaths occurring in a single day - 671 - though this is likely to change in future updates.
Updated
Recorded messages, mounted police and volunteer wardens with megaphones have been welcoming locals in east London’s reopened Victoria Park, urging them to follow new physical distancing measures during the lockdown.
The park and Tower Hamlets council came in for intense criticism three weekends ago after pictures posted on social media showed a local market in the grounds bustling with people despite government guidance to practice physical distancing.
The furore, which occurred days before a nationwide lockdown came into effect, prompted the park to shut for a fortnight, before reopening on Saturday with restrictions in place.
Signs bearing new rules at the popular public space inform people of a ban on picnics, ball games and sunbathing, with cyclists being told to dismount upon entry. Announcements are also ringing out over loudspeakers telling people to follow the measures or face being moved on or fined.
Updated
Turkey supplies UK with 250,000 items of PPE
Turkey has supplied the UK with 250,000 items of protective equipment, the Ministry of Defence has announced.
The shipment, which arrived at Oxfordshire’s Brize Norton RAF base on Friday, includes 50,000 N-95 face masks; 100,000 surgical masks; and 100,000 protective suits.
The supplies will be taken to a regional NHS distribution hub to be delivered to medical centres across the country, the MoD added.
The defence secretary, Ben Wallace, said:
The delivery of this vital equipment will bring protection and relief to thousands of critical workers across the UK, as they bravely and tirelessly work to keep us safe.
It is also a tribute to the strong bilateral ties with our ally Turkey, and I am immensely grateful for their kind gesture.
As Nato allies we can always depend on each other, whatever the threats we face.
This is just one way the UK’s armed forces are helping, in addition to helping to establish temporary hospitals, delivering supplies and assisting with a variety of tasks to support the NHS and other public bodies.
Updated
Transport union leaders have criticised a bus company for providing movable “shower curtains” as barriers to protect drivers from the spread of coronavirus.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) hit out at First South West buses after receiving complaints over the clear plastic film being used as a screen.
The union said it had asked for protective Perspex screens to be installed, similar to ones in supermarkets that have been protecting checkout staff.
Video footage sent to the RMT shows a driver moving a transparent piece of plastic film, which covers their door but does not continue up to the windscreen, leaving a large gap.
The driver said:
It won’t actually cover you properly, you’ve got to fight the bloody door to get into it and it doesn’t actually cover that much.
The thin film, which the RMT described as a “shower curtain”, is fixed to the top of the cab but not attached anywhere else, which the union said has led to passengers simply pulling the barrier back to talk to drivers.
The criticism comes after at least 14 transport workers have died after testing positive for Covid-19, including nine bus drivers.
The transport company, which is part of the large FirstGroup, serves areas including Cornwall and Somerset.
In a letter to the company’s managing director, RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, has urged it to “step up to protect your staff in this time of national emergency”.
FirstGroup bus operator Cornwall by Kernow said they have increased cleaning and social distancing measures on the buses and provided every driver with hand sanitiser and gloves.
A spokesman said:
The safety and welfare of our colleagues and passengers remains our utmost priority. We are incredibly proud of our drivers who continue to run these essential services.
We are confident that these screens, which are used by other major bus operators, are of sufficient standard to help keep our drivers and customers safe.
We’re adjusting a few screens to ensure they’re fitted correctly.
Updated
Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of the British Medical Association, said it is “absolutely tragic” that 19 health workers have died after contracting coronavirus.
He told Sky News on Saturday:
This is absolutely tragic. In terms of doctors who I represent, it’s extremely concerning that 10 of the 11 doctors are from black and Asian minority backgrounds, almost all of them having come from overseas having given their lives to the health service.
He expressed concern about a lack of protective equipment. “If we don’t have the right protection, there’s greater risk of becoming infected,” he said,
He added:
There’s also a greater need to protect our BAME doctors. We have higher levels or prevalence of underlying conditions such a diabetes, heart disease and renal disease.
Updated
PM 'continues to make very good progress' – No 10
Downing Street has given an update on the condition of the prime minister following his release from intensive care on Thursday.
Speaking on Saturday, a Number 10 spokeswoman said: “The prime minister continues to make very good progress.”
Here is a little more much-needed positive news:
Twin brothers, one a soldier and the other a surgeon, have played a role in the battle to set up and run London’s temporary NHS Nightingale hospital.
British army Lt Col Phill Moxey, commanding officer of 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment, led a team that helped to transform part of the ExCel centre into a hospital.
His brother Paul, a vascular surgeon in the capital’s St George’s hospital, is on call to aid the new Nightingale facility’s dedicated medical team.
The Suffolk-born twins, aged 42, made radically different career choices as children and this is the first time their individual skills have been brought to bear on the same mission.
Lt Col Moxey, told PA Media:
It’s not lost on either of us the apparent utter contrast in our chosen professions - soldier versus surgeon.
But both roles have taken many years of experience to get to and both have required a degree of sacrifice, patience and tolerance on the home front.
Neither of us could have got to where we are without the support of our families. Both roles require calmness under pressure, leadership and constant education.
Updated
News that a coronavirus vaccine could be ready by September should be treated with “cautious optimism”, a medical expert has said.
Professor Stephen Evans, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, warned on Saturday that there are “a number of hurdles to before you get to the point where the population is protected”.
His comments came after Sarah Gilbert, a professor of vaccinology at Oxford University, told the Times a coronavirus vaccine could be ready for the general public by September.
Speaking to PA Media, Evans commended Gilbert for being careful to make clear there are no guarantees.
He said:
Cautious optimism is entirely justified in these difficult times but if you think that that’s it, then you could be sorely disappointed.
There are numbers of hurdles to overcome before you get to the point where the population is protected.
He said having the vaccine ready and proven to be safe is one thing, but availability in the millions of doses required for large-scale rollout across the UK with a system for delivery is a different matter.
Evans added:
I think getting all of that in place before the end of the year would be amazing, so it’s not just having the vaccine, it’s actually being able to deliver them.
What I would be doing and be prepared to invest in would be the system to deliver extremely large numbers of vaccine doses to the population as a whole. Such investment would pay off, whether it was the Oxford vaccine or some other that proved to be effective and have minimal harms.
Updated
After revealing 19 UK health workers have died after contracting coronavirus and amid backlash over his request that NHS staff do not overuse personal protective equipment, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, said he was unaware of any link between the deaths and a lack of PPE but an investigation would be carried out into the extent to which health workers had caught the virus on the frontline. Here is the video:
Updated
England’s half a million “empty homes” should be opened up to health workers on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic who need accommodation close to their workplaces, campaigners have urged.
Government data, analysed by Action on Empty Homes, shows England is host to as many as 579,000 vacant properties.
About 226,000 of these are long-term empty homes, 253,000 are second homes and 100,000 are vacant Airbnb lets.
Will McMahon, the group’s director, said at this time of national crisis, every person and company who has a housing resource that can help with the emergency should step up now:
Local councils should ask homeowners to volunteer their second or habitable long-term empty homes for use by essential workers.
Airbnb should be compelled to share the data necessary to identify whole house lets close to hospitals.
Companies that are no longer using staff flats should step forward and offer them for use.
In a national crisis, where lives are at stake, we need everyone to be pulling in the same direction and ensuring that resources, including housing, are available for use where they are needed most.
Updated
Updated
Here is some much-needed midday joy.
A 99-year-old former guardsman who survived three years in a German prisoner of war camp was clapped out of hospital on Friday after recovering from Covid-19.
Albert Chambers, who will be 100 in July, is now “fit and well” according to Tickhill Road hospital, in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.
Chambers was admitted to Doncaster Royal Infirmary after breaking his arm in a fall, but showed signs of coronavirus after he was moved to Tickhill Road for rehabilitation.
He was a Coldstream Guard in the second world war and, at one time, helped to protect Buckingham Palace. But he was wounded in Germany and spent three years in a prisoner of war camp, the hospital told the PA Media news agency.
The Liverpool fan, from Doncaster, said he was “a very lucky man” as he was discharged. He said:
When I get home I’m going to tell all of my neighbours how marvellous the nurses are here.
I want to say thank you very much to them.
I appreciate every bit of what they have done for me. They couldn’t have been any better.
Updated
The Duchess of Cornwall has recommended 10 good reads for those wanting solace during the coronavirus outbreak.
Camilla said Travels On My Elephant by her late brother Mark Shand “always brings a tear to my eye” and she has listed him among nine authors picked for readers. Encouraging others to read to help them cope with feelings of isolation during the lockdown, the duchess said:
Ernest Hemingway, famously, once said ‘there is no friend as loyal as a book’.
In these challenging times when we are isolated from the ones we love, many of us are finding comfort in reading, to fire up our imaginations, to take us on journeys and to make us laugh.
With that in mind here is a list of my dearest ‘friends’, I hope you all enjoy them as much as I have and can I wish you all a very happy Easter.
If you’re interested in Camilla’s recommendations, here is the thread:
The Duchess is passionate about reading for all ages and promotes its importance through some of her patronages, including @Literacy_Trust, @Booktrust, @beanstalkreads and @RSLiterature.
— Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) April 11, 2020
Read on for Her Royal Highness’s book recommendations! ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Gfwd65xgnH
Updated
The Duke of York has made a rare public appearance since stepping down from royal duties in the wake of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Andrew was pictured with his ex-wife the Duchess of York packing cupcakes into gift bags for the Thames Hospice, which provides care for people with life-limiting illnesses.
The images, posted by Sarah Ferguson’s assistant Antonia Marshall on Instagram on Thursday, also show the duke smiling as he helps deliver the items to the hospice in Windsor.
It is one of the first times the duke, 60, has been spotted in public following his disastrous Newsnight interview last year over his relationship with convicted sex offender Epstein.
He was previously seen with the Queen attending a Sunday service at St Mary the Virgin church in Hillington, Norfolk, back in January.
Updated
The UK’s seaside resorts risk becoming permanent “ghost towns” without government support to help their economies recover from the coronavirus lockdown, councils have warned.
Towns and villages heavily reliant on seasonal tourism are said to be facing an unprecedented threat as visitor numbers plummet amid guidance to stay at home and slow the spread of Covid-19.
The District Councils Network, which represents councils for many of England’s tourist and culture locations, is calling on the government to help businesses stay afloat by issuing grants and administering rate reliefs.
The government’s coronavirus hardship fund must also help families falling through the benefits system, it added.
Councillor Mark Crane, the DCN’s lead member for stronger economies, said:
Some of our finest, most picturesque and beautiful tourist villages and towns, including those rich in cultural importance and heritage, face an unprecedented challenge.
These are places dependent on seasonal demand in order to survive, which are usually guaranteed large numbers of visitors week in week out, but this year this is sadly unlikely to be the case.
With people rightly staying away to minimise the spread of infection, this could have a devastating impact on many places that rely on the tourism industry.
There’s a real risk that if they don’t recover, our tourist towns could become ghost towns. It will also put huge pressure on families suffering lost income and high unemployment.
Updated
The Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) said a motorcycle had been seized from a male rider who failed to stop while making a non-essential journey in Stoke-on-Trent.
In a tweet alongside a picture of the vehicle, the CMPG said: “Bike seized, rider reported for several offences and is now getting his daily exercise.”
This chap was not making an essential journey, he then chose to fail to stop for a @CMPG patrol in Stoke. The bike was lost but with the assistance of @StaffsPolice was soon located. Bike seized, rider reported for several offences and is now getting his daily exercise 🚶🏼♂️ pic.twitter.com/iwPPdMP75f
— CMPG (@CMPG) April 10, 2020
Researchers in China have released a report linking Covid-19 to a range of neurological problems.
The study, reported in the journal JAMA Neurology, looked at 214 patients in hospitals in Wuhan with Covid-19, finding 78 reported neurological symptoms, with 38 showing dizziness, 28 reporting headaches, 12 reporting taste impairment, and 23 having injury to skeletal muscles. Other problems included seizures and conditions involving the supply of blood to the brain.
The team add that neurological problems were more common among those with more severe forms of Covid-19, while they note some patients who went on to be diagnosed with Covid-19 turned up at the hospital only with neurological problems and without typical symptoms such as a fever or cough.
The team also point to previous research which revealed that the coronavirus gets into human cells by interacting with an enzyme, called ACE2 that is present on the membranes of cells in the lungs as well as in the nervous system and skeletal muscle.
However, the study has limitations, including that it only involves a small group of patients, certain tests were not carried out due to infection concerns – meaning most problems were simply described by patients – and it is not clear to what extent the coronavirus is causing the neurological problems, or whether they were already present.
In a retrospective study of 214 patients with #COVID19, neurological symptoms were seen in 36.4%, and more common in severe cases (45.5%), which included acute cerebrovascular events (5.7%), impaired consciousness (14.8%) and muscle injury (19.3%) https://t.co/xAdryAu77P
— JAMA Neurology (@JAMANeuro) April 10, 2020
Responding to the study, Dr Virginia Newcombe, honorary consultant in neurosciences critical care unit at Addenbrookes hospital, Cambridge, said there were a number of initiatives looking into possible neurological problems linked to Covid-19.
But, she added, some of the symptoms outlined in the study may not be down to such disorders per se, noting symptoms such as dizziness and headaches are common when people are unwell, while symptoms such as loss of muscle mass can occur when people are bed-bound, and cognitive impairment can be a byproduct of being in intensive care.
But Newcombe noted that it was likely some patients were experiencing true neurological problems, noting reports of higher rates of stroke and blood clots, including in the lungs, chime with what she had seen.
Others said the results were not surprising.
“Many respiratory viruses appear to not only affect the respiratory system but can spread from the airways to the central nervous system,” said Prof Julian Hiscox, chair in infection and global health at the University of Liverpool.
Prof Ian Jones, professor of virology, at the University of Reading, added that the new findings should not distract from the focus on the respiratory problems Covid-19 causes.
“At the moment neurological complications might best be considered a consequence of Covid-19 disease severity rather than a distinct new concern,” he said.
Updated
Updated
The female stars of Coronation Street have released a video highlighting the help available to domestic abuse victims during the lockdown.
Shelley King, Sair Khan, Sally Dynevor, Sally Carman and former show star Julie Hesmondhalgh all feature in the message, released in conjunction with Women’s Aid.
We have all seen Yasmeen’s coercive control abuse storyline unfolding on screen, but for many her situation is all too familiar.
— Coronation Street (@itvcorrie) April 11, 2020
Help and support is available: https://t.co/9Woq7dHlJP#Corrie #Yasmeen @womensaid
Experts have warned they expect domestic violence to rise while the UK copes with the Covid-19 outbreak and charities have said their helplines are experiencing an increase in use.
In the series of home videos, the group say:
The world is going through a really difficult time right now and many of us are isolating at home.
For anyone who is experiencing domestic abuse, it is no doubt terrifying to be isolated with an abuser.
If you are in a situation where you are being abused, or you fear that you may be abused, there are measures in place that can help protect you.
The video encourages those at risk to keep a mobile phone on them at all times and use the “silent solution” when calling the police.
Anyone needing help, but fearful an abuser may hear them calling, can dial 999 and press 55, which will let the police know they need assistance.
You can watch the video on YouTube here:
The campaign comes after a recent Coronation Street storyline saw Geoff Metcalfe increase his influence over Yasmeen Nazir, revealing the damage of non-physical abuse.
The ITV soap consulted Women’s Aid on the storyline, which was intended to educate viewers on the “invisible prison” created by controlling partners.
Thank you so much to our friends at @itvcorrie for this short film for those living with domestic abuse during #lockdown #coronavirusuk - please share 👇 https://t.co/zH3nK8qk11
— Women's Aid (@womensaid) April 11, 2020
Easter has taken a virtual turn this year, as people have been urged to stay at home by the government. Church leaders from across the UK have used social media and streaming to keep their congregations, many of whom are in their 80s and 90s, connected to the church when many are in isolation.
Rev Peter Atkinson has recreated Worcester Cathedral in a spare bedroom in his house from where he broadcasts morning services for people to stream at home. He stressed:
It’s really important that we don’t think of Holy Week and Easter as being ‘cancelled’ - we are celebrating in a different way.
The reverend described how the unorthodox services so far have seemingly encouraged more people to attend church virtually, and may even be considered more public than conventional worship.
An early morning midweek service in the cathedral might have a congregation of three or four, now the same service has been viewed several thousand times by the end of the day.
The churches have been closed for ‘public worship’ and here I am live streaming the same service from my spare room, and I get a message from a complete stranger in Australia saying ‘so good to join your service this morning’. If that’s not public, I don’t know what is!
On Palm Sunday Rev Dean Aaron Roberts from BMMR parishes (Bedwas, Machen, Michaelston-y-Fedw and Rudry) just outside Cardiff, helped to set up a Google Meets online video Bible discussion group for Easter. Due to all of their Easter services going online, it “provides more opportunity to people to get involved and I don’t think the church will ever be the same again!”
There are members of the congregation who are in their 80s and 90s who are now using Google Meets and other social media to stay connected to the church whilst in isolation. The reverend believes because younger members of the family are now stuck at home they now have the time to show their family members how to use the internet.
Rev Jim McNeil, who has served as minister for Alva Church in Scotland for 22 years, described himself as a “bit of a technophobe” before using Facebook to record and upload sermons.
There have been videos every night of holy week leading up to Easter Sunday and they are all recorded from inside the church and have proven to be popular. He said: “We are a wee church in a wee town and we get about a hundred worshippers in total on a normal Sunday,” but the videos have accumulated more than double that number in views.
The church’s congregation are mostly in their 60s and 70s and many of them have not had much trouble embracing the church’s new social media approach to Easter. He added:
I suppose there are a lot of silver surfers and we haven’t taken into consideration that these people are a lot more tech savvy than we think they are.
Updated
Updated
Bus workers in London will receive sick pay from the first day of being off work, under a deal announced by the Unite union.
Unite said the deal follows pressure from the union on bus operators, Transport for London (TfL), London’s mayor and the government, for better protection from Covid-19 for bus workers.
A total of 14 London transport workers have died after contracting the virus, nine of them bus workers.
Unite said some bus workers may have felt they had to go to work when exhibiting signs of the disease because of a lack of sick pay.
The union says that the victory, securing sick pay from day one regardless of length of service, means that bus workers fearful of having contracted Covid-19 can stay at home knowing they will not be “plunged into immediate hardship”.
Unite regional officer John Murphy said:
If they fall victim to this virus, bus workers need to be able to go on sick pay from day one, to isolate themselves and to recuperate. They should not face a terrible choice between health and hardship.
So, we are extremely relieved to have secured sick pay at full wage for all bus workers in London from day one.
Keeping people at home when they are unwell has to be part of the effort to combat this virus.
With this victory, we can now concentrate our efforts to make people safer at work, continuing to press for the best in PPE, including making masks and gloves available for drivers, so they feel safe in their environment, and for the sealed door trials to be abandoned and sealed doors rolled out immediately across the capital’s buses.
We've secured sick pay at full wage from day one for all London's bus staff after putting intense pressure on bus operators, @TfL, @SadiqKhan and the national govt. @UniteLondonEast #UniteWin#HereForYou #COVID19
— Unite the union (@unitetheunion) April 11, 2020
https://t.co/ti7dj3qwT1
Updated
Updated
My colleague Haroon Siddique has written more on the seemingly disproportionate effect of Covid-19 on people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, who comprise 44% of NHS medical staff.
After the first 10 doctors in the UK named as having died after contracting coronavirus were all BAME, the head of the British Medical Association has called on the government to urgently investigate if and why BAME people are more vulnerable to the disease. As well as the doctors, three out of six nurses named as having died have also been BAME as was a hospital pharmacist and at least one healthcare assistant.
The overall death figures in the UK have not been broken down by ethnicity but early research published this week showed that 35% of almost 2,000 patients in intensive care units were BAME.
Dr Chaand Nagpaul said:
At face value, it seems hard to see how this can be random – to have the first 10 doctors of all being of BAME background.
Not only that, we also know that in terms of the BAME population, they make up about a third of those in intensive care. There’s a disproportionate percentage of BAME people getting ill.
We have heard the virus does not discriminate between individuals but there’s no doubt there appears to be a manifest disproportionate severity of infection in BAME people and doctors. This has to be addressed – the government must act now.
You can read the full story here.
Updated
Good morning! I’m Lucy Campbell, here to take you through another day as the lockdown continues. The health secretary, Matt Hancock, is under fire from within the health sector after he said there is enough PPE to go around if used in line with official guidance and was “not being used more than is needed”.
He told BBC Breakfast this morning it was important that healthcare workers use the “right amount” of protective equipment as it is a “precious resource”. He added:
I am not impugning anyone who works for the NHS and I think they do an amazing job.
But what I am reiterating, stressing, is the importance to use the right amount of PPE both to have enough and also to use it as the precious resource that it is.
He also told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he did not blame any health workers who had used more PPE than was “strictly necessary” given the tough circumstances they faced. He said:
We have drawn up guidelines on what to use. It is really important that people don’t overuse PPE either.
I don’t want to impugn blame on people who have used more PPE than the guidelines suggest because I understand the difficulties in the circumstances.
What I would say it is very important to use the right PPE and not overuse it.
Of course there have been examples but I don’t want to stress that because I also understand the circumstances in which people might have used more PPE than was strictly necessary according to the guidelines.
But the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) dismissed any suggestions that healthcare staff were “abusing or overusing” PPE.
The RCN general secretary, Dame Donna Kinnair, told the Today programme this morning that no PPE was “more precious a resource than a healthcare worker’s life, a nurse’s life, a doctor’s life”.
Speaking later on BBC Breakfast she said that every day she was hearing from nurses saying they did not have enough protective equipment, adding:
I take offence actually that we are saying that healthcare workers are abusing or overusing PPE.
I think what we know is, we don’t have enough supply and not enough regular supply of PPE.
This is the number one priority nurses are bringing to my attention, that they do not have adequate supply of protective equipment.
The Labour leader Keir Starmer also found it “insulting” to suggest healthcare workers were “wasting” PPE.
It is quite frankly insulting to imply frontline staff are wasting PPE.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 11, 2020
There are horrific stories of NHS staff and care workers not having the equipment they need to keep them safe.
The Government must act to ensure supplies are delivered. https://t.co/kQWbiO0zoh
After the UK recorded its deadliest daily rise on Friday, which was worse than both Italy and Spain at their peaks, Hancock also reminded the public to stay at home and maintain physical distancing this Easter bank holiday weekend.
He went on to pay tribute to the 19 NHS workers who have died after contracting coronavirus. He told BBC Breakfast:
My heart goes out to their families, these are people who have put themselves on the front line.
The work is going on to establish whether they caught coronavirus in the line of duty while at work or whether, like so many other people, caught it in the rest of their lives. It is obviously quite difficult to work that out.
What matters is we pay tribute to their service.
He also acknowledged the significance of the diversity of the NHS workers who have died – a high number of whom came from BAME backgrounds. He added:
I’m particularly struck at the high proportion of people from minority ethnic backgrounds and people who have come to this country to work in the NHS who have died of coronavirus.
I find it really upsetting actually and it is a testament to the fact that people who have come from all over the world have come and given their lives in service to the NHS and paid for that with their lives.
I think we should recognise their enormous contribution.
The Telegraph (paywall) has profiled those NHS workers who have lost their lives.
We’ll be bringing you all the latest UK coronavirus updates throughout the day as they come in.
As ever, your input is invaluable. So, if you have a story, any tips, suggestions, comments or ideas, please feel free to get in touch with me. You can email me at lucy.campbell@guardian.co.uk or contact me via Twitter @lucy_campbell_.
Updated
