Evening summary
- A total of 1,789 patients have died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK, as of 5pm on Monday. This represents a 27% day-on-day increase – by far the biggest so far.
- Covid-19 was mentioned on 210 death certificates in England and Wales by 20 March, according to new stats released this morning by the ONS. This was the first time non-hospital deaths (in the community and in care homes) were included in the death figures.
- Thousands of new ventilators are to be delivered to the NHS next week, Michael Gove told the daily news conference. He said that as well as buying more from abroad, the UK was developing new sources of supply at home, which would roll off the production line this weekend to NHS hospitals.
- There are some signs that physical distancing measures are working to flatten the spread of infection, but this is no time to become complacent, said Stephen Powis, the medical director of NHS England. He said while there was a “bit of a plateau” in the number of new cases testing positive, “we must not take our foot off the pedal”. Gove added that “this is absolutely not the time” to be relaxing physical distancing measures: “People’s sacrifices are worth it, they are making a difference, but we must not let up.”
- Nearly 3,000 migrant doctors, nurses and paramedics plus their family members are to have their visas extended for a year to assist the fight against coronavirus, the Home Office announced. The extension, which is free of charge, will apply to about 2,800 NHS workers whose visas are due to expire before 1 October.
You can follow our global liveblog here. That’s all for from the UK for today.
Updated
Thousands of workers including refuse collectors, cleaners and maintenance staff are to receive full pay if they go off sick because of coronavirus, after their employer Amey admitted it was wrong to only offer £94.25 per week.
The outsourcing giant sparked anger among workers when a senior manager told them last week they would only get the statutory minimum because he believed Covid-19 was “less severe than flu”.
Less than 24 hours after the Guardian first reported the firm’s controversial position and with the death toll from the virus rising, Amey has announced that any employee who is affected by Covid-19 because they are sick or are self-isolating will receive full pay rather than statutory sick pay with immediate effect.
Amanda Fisher, the chief executive of the services company with prison, defence and council contracts and a £2.3bn-a-year turnover, also issued a public apology. The new terms are likely to benefit up to 3,000 of the firm’s 17,000 employees who were facing the lowest rates of sick pay.
The attempt to downplay the severity of the illness which has claimed at least 33,000 lives globally, was described as “shocking” by the GMB union. It also appeared to be factually wrong. Flu has been calculated to be fatal in 0.1-0.2% of cases. Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, has predicted that coronavirus would kill around 1% of the people who contracted it, and there are fears that figure could be higher.
Announcing its U-turn, Fisher said:
We take pride in our employees being the driving force behind our business and we realise that on this occasion we got it wrong, for which we apologise. We have conducted an immediate review of our policy and can announce that any employee who is affected by Covid-19 – because they are sick or are self-isolating – will not be penalised for the effects of coronavirus.
This decision has been made to help protect our employees in the midst of the current coronavirus pandemic, and ensure we are following government guidelines for keeping employees safe from the unnecessary spread of infection.
Updated
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has written to every Premier League and Championship football club in the capital asking they provide assistance to the NHS in “unprecedented times” amid the fight against coronavirus.
In a letter sent this week, Khan asked the ten clubs to provide help in three key areas: access to medical staff, access to stadium facilities and accommodation for NHS workers living away from their families, as well as for health and care workers who need easy access to field hospitals.
Read the full story here.
Updated
Mental health experts have challenged plans to allow Scottish councils to move mentally-incapacitated patients from hospital beds into care homes without consent.
The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, a statutory body, said it had significant concerns about emergency coronavirus powers set out in a new Scottish government bill which is expected to be debated and then passed in a single day at Holyrood tomorrow.
The commission, which monitors and advises on mental health legislation in Scotland, said it was particularly worried about the government’s decision to scrap the normal procedures used when a council or hospital wants to move a patient with dementia or other mental illnesses out of a hospital bed into a care facility.
Until now, a patient’s opinions or previous views on where they wanted to be treated would be taken into account, or their guardian or family member with power of attorney would be consulted; any disagreements could end up in a sheriff court hearing.
The commission said those were now being temporarily removed, without any process for those decisions to be overseen or monitored. That meant a mentally-ill patient could end up in a care home without their or their guardian’s consent, to free up hospital beds for other patients.
In a policy memorandum published alongside the bill, the Scottish government said it was justified because elderly patients were the most vulnerable to the coronavirus, while the crisis meant extra beds were desperately needed.
The government said:
Hospitals are looking to increase dramatically the number of beds available to deal with the expected large influx of patients affected by coronavirus and requiring hospital treatment. Adults lacking capacity are often elderly patients with dementia who are at high risk from coronavirus and it is a high priority to move them to somewhere safer and more suitable for their care and treatment.
Dr Arun Chopra, the commission’s medical director, said it was very concerned about the rights of those patients.
We understand the need for this emergency legislation to become available during these exceptional times, but we would want to see the reduction in safeguards to only be used if absolutely necessary, and for as short a time as is possible.
We believe it is vital that effective mechanisms are in place to scrutinise how and when these powers are used.
The commission said it would adapt its monitoring systems to cope with the emergency powers published in the new coronavirus (Scotland) bill, and the impact the pandemic had on services. But it said ministers needed to amend the bill to require councils to notify a statutory body every time these orders were used.
The Swedish furniture giant Ikea has today reopened the doors of its Croydon store – but only for vulnerable customers and key workers who can shop for essentials at its Swedish food market.
The rest of the store will remain closed but the Swedish food market is opening to key workers at different times, including NHS workers and police, the elderly, most vulnerable and their carers and Ikea co-workers.
Its normal range has been bolstered with staple items including bread, milk, butter and canned tomatoes. Other members of the public will not be admitted.
The decision to prioritise this location is due to the store’s proximity to Croydon University hospital – just one mile away and one of the worst-hit by coronavirus in London.
The store will initially open to key workers Monday-Friday between 8am-12pm and 2pm-4pm, while elderly and vulnerable customers and carers can visit between 12pm-2pm. Customers will be asked to show ID to gain entrance.
In order to ensure customers and co-workers’ safety, Ikea is implementing measures to enforce 2 metres distance between shoppers and staff, with payment by card only.
Gary Pearce, store manager at Ikea Croydon, says:
Now more than ever we need to come together as a community. We want to do everything we can to support those most in need, including NHS workers at our local hospitals. By offering some essential food items alongside our Swedish food range, we hope that we can help to make their everyday lives just a little bit easier during these tough times.
Updated
Jason Groves, political editor of the Daily Mail asked about testing and “why we are doing so badly” compared to Germany.
Gove said the increase in the number of deaths was “shocking and disturbing” and it is right to increase the testing.
Dr Harries said “we want to be testing where it is useful” and testing for clinical care is a priority, then getting front line workers back into safe work. She said:
We have started a number of tests at the PHE facility and other scientists working in testing cohorts of groups of people, which are age specified if you like so that we can start to get a good idea of how many people in the population have had it and then extrapolate that number out so we get a picture for the whole country. That is more of a clue in many ways in managing the end of the outbreak and when we can take the locks off.
She said a postal test which the government is trying to roll out would be “extremely useful”.
The BBC News At Six presenter, George Alagiah, who is being treated for cancer, has said that he had tested positive for coronavirus. His wife, Fran, has also experienced symptoms.
Alagiah had decided earlier this month that he was going to stop appearing on air from the studio amid the virus outbreak following advice from doctors and colleagues.
He told BBC News At Six’s Sophie Raworth:
In some ways, I think that we, those of us living with cancer, are stronger because we kind of know what it is like to go into something where the outcomes are uncertain.
I certainly feel that having had that experience, in my case six years as a cancer patient, I went into this feeling actually quite strong, if I can live with cancer, I can certainly live with Covid-19.
George Alagiah who’s being treated for cancer reveals he has had coronavirus. @BBCAlagiah talks to me on @BBCNews at six #bbcnewssix
— sophieraworth (@sophieraworth) March 31, 2020
Updated
Gove said the sharp rise in UK deaths from coronavirus was “deeply shocking” but he could not say exactly when the peak would come:
There’s not a fixed date like Easter when you know that the peak will come, it depends on the actions of all of us. We can delay that peak, we can flatten the curve through our own particular actions.
Powis said the sequence of progress would involve a reduction in the number of infections, followed by a reduction in the number of hospitalisations a week or two later, and then finally a reduction in the number of deaths:
I expect that we will still see unfortunately a rise in deaths because that is the measure that unfortunately we will turn around last.
On PPE, Harries said she had optimistically said 10 days ago they had “solved the PPE position”, but admitted that 48 hours later the distribution problems had started again in getting the equipment to the right places.
She said they then started to take a UK wide approach to logistics and deliver the products went to where the risk was. They are setting up a new electronic system to request PPE which might be useful for care homes:
The distribution element has been a little bit tricky at times and we have now taken a whole strand of the logistics, including with the army’s support actually, out so that we are developing a UK position on that stock and distribution flow.
And the underlying critical point about this is that the PPE should go to match where the critical, clinical risk is.
Updated
On end of life care, Powis said:
I would expect end of life care to be just as good as it is in normal times and I know that’s something that our clinicians and hospitals and other health care facilities are thinking about very carefully.
Clearly with the additional impact of this particular virus we do need to think carefully about when people are discharged from hospital if they have had the Covid, and so we have issued specific guidance to assist in that discharge, for instance, if discharging into care homes.
So we have taken account of the fact that over and above our normal procedures we need to take account that we have a new infectious disease.
New services involving the RAF have been unveiled to help coronavirus patients by speeding up medical transport.
Michael Gove said three RAF Puma helicopters are stationed at Kinloss barracks in Moray, Scotland, and will work with Chinook helicopters based at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire to respond to requests for assistance from NHS trusts across Scotland and the north of England.
A second helicopter facility for the south is based at RAF Benson, South Oxfordshire. An RAF transport aircraft has already been used in an evacuation of a critically ill patient to Aberdeen for treatment.
Updated
'People's sacrifices are worth it, they are making a difference, we must not let up' – Gove
Gove said there are some signs, as Powis has said, that people are observing physical distancing and that we may be able to flatten the spread of infection. But he added firmly:
Now is absolutely not the time for people to imagine that there can be any relaxation or slackening. It is a hopeful sign but we must be wary of over-interpreting any individual day’s data. We must maintain this united national effort in order to keep people safe. People’s sacrifices are worth it, they are making a difference, but we must not let up.
Updated
Some signs we are flattening spread of infection, but we must not be complacent
Stephen Powis, medical director of NHS England, said the NHS needs everyone in the country to play their part in reducing transmission of the virus, which will take pressure off the health system and prevent more deaths.
Social contact has been reducing over the last few weeks, Powis said, proving the public was heeding the advice. For example, transport use has decreased dramatically.
Less social contact means a lower chance the virus can pass from one person to another. Over time that will mean a lower number of people testing positive. That will also translate into a lower number of hospital admissions, which typically takes place two weeks after transmission.
The rate of hospitalisation is currently increasing, which is expected at this stage. But if social contact continues to decline, the number of hospitalisations will also.
China over time has flattened the curve and the number of deaths has reduced.
Powis said there was a “bit of a plateau” in the number of new cases of people testing positive for Covid-19 in the UK, however:
We have had a rise in the number of UK cases but recently there’s a little bit of a plateau. I think it’s really important not to read too much into this because it’s early days.
We’re not out of the woods; we’re very much in the wood. But as you can see the number of infections is not rising as rapidly as it was.
So green shoots but only green shoots and we must not be complacent and we must not take our foot off the pedal.
Updated
Thousands of new ventilators to be delivered to NHS next week – Gove
A critical constraint on the ability to rapidly increase testing capacity is the availability of the chemical reagents that are necessary in the testing, Gove said. The health secretary and the prime minister are working with companies worldwide to ensure we get the material we need to increase tests of all kinds.
Gove said we have just over 8,000 ventilators deployed in NHS hospitals now, but we need more. We are buying more from abroad, including from EU nations, and developing new sources of supply at home.
This weekend the first thousands of new ventilator devices will roll off the production line and be delivered to the NHS next week. From there they will be distributed to the frontline.
Also, the government is increasing capacity to provide oxygen to patients at earlier stages of the disease, hoping to prevent deterioration.
Gove said they are also conducting rapid clinical trials on those drugs, including antimalarials, which may be able to reduce the impact of Covid-19 to those affected.
Updated
Michael Gove has said that 143,186 people in the UK have now been tested for Covid-19. Of those 25,150 tested positive.
Yesterday saw the highest single increase in the number of deaths – 381 people died. Of those that have been hospitalised in the UK, 1,789 have died.
10,767 people in England have been admitted to hospital with Covid-19 symptoms. The largest number is in London, where 3,915 people are in hospital care. In the Midlands, the number is 1,918 and this is accelerating upwards.
Gove says these numbers serve to reinforce the importance of following physical distancing guidelines.
Updated
Daily news briefing
The Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove will front today’s Downing Street press conference, due to begin shortly. He will be joined by the deputy chief medical officer for England, Dr Jenny Harries, and the medical director of NHS England, Stephen Powis.
Updated
As well as doctors and nurses, there are so many members of NHS staff who have not had as much recognition despite the vital role they are playing in the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
Honestly if I hear one more media outlet refer to the NHS as 'doctors and nurses' I am going to scream. Please just stop. There are so many fantastic people working in the NHS and in so many other areas right now. It's really demoralising. Yours, a #HealthcareScientist #NHS
— Jo Horne (@hornej13) March 29, 2020
Healthcare workers including a physiotherapist and a radiographer spoke to Sarah Johnson about how they are helping to battle the virus and putting themselves at risk in the process.
Updated
A row has broken out over the government food parcels delivered to councils in recent days to distribute to vulnerable people shielding themselves from coronavirus by staying at home.
Rochdale council and other local authorities have told the Guardian that the parcels they have received have been completely inadequate; neither covering the numbers of vulnerable households in their area nor providing decent nutrition.
Rochdale council said it was sent parcels for 44 people on Monday when it had identified 129 people in the borough who needed emergency food aid. The government has organised for some deliveries to be made direct to those who have been told to self-isolate, leaving the division of responsibilities confused, local authorities say.
The food supplied to Rochdale for households was mostly made up of empty calories and included a giant bottle of sweetened fruit squash, a bag of sugar, teabags, confectionery, small individually wrapped gingerbread biscuits, egg noodles, hard-to-split catering size packs of Angel Delight dessert mix, and just one apple per person.
Inventories seen by the Guardian of what was delivered to some other councils over the last few days list similar items of very low nutritional value, including tins of creamed rice, long-life sweetened custard, and, as in Rochdale, giant bottles of fruit squash. Some have also received a small number of longlife “one meal” portions of ready meals such as sausages and mash.
One council told us that the only fresh fruit or vegetables on its list of what would be supplied were a limited number of apples, but these did not in fact get delivered.
The government promised the packages would contain essential food and household items for those with underlying health problems who need to self-isolate at home for 12 weeks and have no family or friends to help them. The communities secretary, Robert Jenrick, appeared on television news over the weekend helping deliver food boxes to houses with vulnerable people.
Rochdale council’s Labour leader, Allen Brett, called on the government yesterday to improve the quality of its parcels:
Everyone appreciates that this is an unprecedented situation but the parcels that have been provided were not of the quality we were expecting. Thankfully our council officers are able to source food locally and add them to the packs to ensure that those receiving them have a better choice of items.
He told the Guardian that after he went public with his concerns he received a call late last night from the secretary of state’s office accusing him of putting out false information.
A council spokesman said:
We do not recognise the secretary of state’s description of these packages being additional supplies to kick-start wider efforts as they were linked directly to our shielded residents. While we are pleased to hear reports that packages sent directly to homes were of a higher standard, we also note that other councils have expressed concerns about the quality of the initial packages they received from government.
Referring food items sent out in Rochdale, a government spokesperson said:
This picture is misleading, it is not one of the food boxes we are delivering directly to the homes of extremely medically vulnerable people.
Our food boxes are of a standard that is consistent and include cereal, fruit and vegetables and pasta. As much as possible, this is a package that is universally suitable, and will provide enough food for one person for one week.
Councils have been issued with some additional supplies to help kickstart their wider efforts – but these should not be confused for a food box.
Updated
Two behavioural scientists have written to Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England, to warn about the potential unintended consequences of mass public testing for coronavirus infection.
Prof Madelynne Arden at Sheffield Hallam University and Prof Christopher Armitage at the University of Manchester have told Whitty they felt compelled to share their concerns about the likely impact of mass testing on the public’s adherence to the lockdown and social distancing measures.
The scientists believe that people who have had the virus will return to normal life, since they will are likely to have some immunity, but warn this could encourage everyone else to follow suit. Another concern is that people who are fed up with isolation will be out and about and simply claim to have had the infection.
They write:
Making tests easily available in the community could therefore have detrimental effects on public social isolation and therefore on the spread and containment of Covid-19. We therefore urge careful planning on how this testing will be managed to avoid the problems outlined.
Updated
Death toll in UK hospitals rises by 381 to 1,789
A total of 1,789 patients have died in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus in the UK as of 5pm on Monday, the Department of Health said, up by 381 from 1,408 the day before. This represents a 27% day-on-day increase – by far the biggest so far.
The Department of Health also said that, as of 9am on Tuesday, a total of 143,186 people have been tested, with 25,150 testing positive.
UPDATE on coronavirus (#COVID19) testing in the UK:
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) March 31, 2020
As of 9am 31 March, a total of 143,186 people have been tested of which 25,150 tested positive.
As of 5pm on 30 March, of those hospitalised in the UK, 1,789 have sadly died. pic.twitter.com/ctiAd1ty9p
Updated
More than 100 MPs have signed a letter by the Labour MP Chi Onwurah calling for the House of Commons to move online for the duration of the coronavirus outbreak.
In the letter, shared on Twitter, Onwurah writes:
In a national crisis when 30m households are being instructed to stay at home and save lives we must show that we too have ‘got the message’.
A number of parliamentarians, including the prime minister, have already been struck down by the virus and it is clear that Westminster is not a safe working environment and cannot be made so whilst including a representative number of MPs. We must lead by example.
With the nation told to #StayHomesavelive MPs must lead by example with a #DigitalParliament enabling #SocialDistancing Democracy. Over 100 MPs have joined me in asking the Clerk of the House of Commons to move Parliament online for the duration of the #coronavirus crisis pic.twitter.com/8ooqrVMltk
— chi onwurah (@ChiOnwurah) March 31, 2020
Parliament rose early for Easter recess last week and is not expected to return until 21 April. The leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg, said that date would be reviewed nearer the time.
Updated
If you’re a health worker who will be working at the Nightingale hospital in London on Wednesday, we’d like to hear about your experience. You can get in touch by contributing to our form or via WhatsApp by clicking here or adding the contact +44(0)7867825056.
Updated
Comedian Johnny Vegas has called on his friend Russell Crowe to spread the news about support for vulnerable people in the St Helens area of Merseyside.
If you are in the St.Helens UK area pic.twitter.com/Rp7n4yrcgz
— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) March 31, 2020
The New Zealand-born actor posted a video on Twitter, telling those in need - and their carers - to contact a helpline if they need support.
On the video he states:
G’day folks, how are you doing? This is a message on behalf of my old mate Johnny Vegas.
If you’re in the St Helens area and you’re having trouble getting food deliveries from your local supermarket, if you’re NHS staff, a key worker, elderly, isolating, vulnerable, call this number - 01744 881881.
In the St Helens area Vegas is helping the Steve Prescott Foundation, the Eccleston Arms and the Blackbrook rugby league team, who have set up a delivery service picking up shopping and medicine.
But Crowe warns:
One of the delivery workers is going be Johnny Vegas though, so expect to lose every second or third biscuit.
Updated
John McNamee, 32, returned to the UK on Tuesday after two weeks in an Airbnb in Lima while the whole of Peru has been under strict lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He said he was lucky to have seen Machu Picchu, the 15th-century Incan citadel, during his month-long stay in the country since many others had arrived in Peru only to be forced to almost immediately make plans to leave after the sudden imposition of curfews and restrictions on movement.
More than 1,000 Britons had registered with the UK embassy in Peru for assistance in returning home due to a near total absence of commercial flights and McNamee was one of about 200 on the first repatriation flight out of the country.
He said:
The staff were really upbeat on the flight and kept our spirits up. It was a full plane with no social distancing but the priority was to get people out. I’m so glad to be home.
McNamee criticised the Foreign Office for a lack of help and advertising an Avianca flight for $3,000 to the UK – several times in excess of the normal fare – but he thanked the government for facilitating his return.
At first the Foreign Office support was appalling. We got no communication at all since the embassy had just closed in Lima. But they did sort it out a bit and put the flight on in the end and we got out. They did deliver eventually but it probably could have been sooner.
He explained that Lima had been tense, with armed guards strictly enforcing the lockdown, but he was just glad to have been in the capital – with many more Britons remaining stranded in more remote areas of Peru.
All we kept hearing was the lockdown getting stricter and stricter. At first we could all go out for food, but then you just had to send just one person and had to prove you were going for food.
There were armed guards everywhere and no one spoke any English. It felt like it was a bit indefinite and that we had to get out. It was urgent.
Updated
Boris Johnson intends to leave coronavirus self-isolation on Friday despite pleas from the Labour MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan to stay away from people for a further seven days.
The prime minister has been self-isolating in No 11 Downing Street since he tested positive for Covid-19 last Thursday night. A spokesman said Johnson’s symptoms remained mild and he was following the UK guidelines by self-isolating for seven days.
Allin-Khan, however, has said that the PM should double his isolation to 14 days in line with World Health Organization guidance and that the UK should change its advice accordingly. The current UK guidelines are that individuals should self-isolate for seven days, and entire households should do so for 14.
She told Sky News:
I would like the prime minister to self-isolate for 14 days.
I’m deeply concerned the advice we’re giving is not in keeping with what the WHO are saying – they’re saying you can continue to spread the virus long after the symptoms are gone.
The Mirror has the story.
Updated
English death toll rises by 367 to 1,651
A total of 1,651 people who have tested positive for coronavirus in England have died, up 367 from 1,284 on Monday, NHS England said.
NHS England said those who died were all in hospital and their ages ranged from 19 to 98. All but 28 of the patients had underlying health conditions. The 28 who did not were aged between 19 and 91.
Updated
Celebrities, including ex-Dr Who Christopher Eccleston and Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer, are urging their hundreds of thousands of social media followers to support a desperate appeal for intensive care professionals in the NHS frontline.
About one in 10 Covid-19 patients are expected to be admitted to intensive care in the coming weeks, putting workers at huge risk – and the charity, the Intensive Care Society, run by and for intensive care doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists and other health professionals treating intensive care patients, has launched the appeal to raise money to help support intensive care unit workers.
Since the campaign was launched on Friday, almost £15,000 has been raised – and now celebrities, including The Crown’s Josh O’Connor and Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie, supporting the appeal are asking followers to urgently donate.
Sandy Mather, the CEO Intensive Care Society, said:
We are asking everyone to think about supporting the medical, nursing, physiotherapy and all health professionals in the intensive care units in the UK at this critical time. Each shift they go on they have to make critical decisions and the stress and pressure they are under is unique. It is vital that we are able to provide the mental health support and the research they need to cope in this situation and in the months and years to come.
More information and how to donate here.
Updated
The Labour councillor Pat Midgley has become the first UK politician known to have died from coronavirus, three days after testing positive for Covid-19.
Midgley, 82, who served on Sheffield city council for 33 years, was described by her family as a “true woman of steel”.
The Guardian’s Matthew Weaver has the full story.
Updated
An interesting data point came out of the Scottish government’s coronavirus briefing this lunchtime. Asked whether the death figures are likely to be an underestimate because they do not record people not admitted to hospital with Covid-19, Nicola Sturgeon said that work was ongoing to ensure the figure on deaths was “accurate and robust”.
She explained that Health Protection Scotland do not consider the current deaths figure is a significant underestimate.
HPS records deaths within 28 days of lab confirmation of Covid-19, irrespective of the location of theindividual’s death, while National Records of Scotland records all deaths regardless of setting where there is mention of Covid-19 on the death certificate.
Sturgeon said work was ongoing to link up HPS and NRS figures so that “as we move forwards, and especially as this epidemic develops in the community, between those two sources of information there is a robust figure”.
The chief medical officer for Scotland, Catherine Calderwood, confirmed that “if there is an underestimate this is not significant, because we do not have significant transmission in the community where people are becoming very unwell and not going to hospital.”
Updated
Home Office announces free year-long visa extensions for almost 3,000 migrant health workers
Nearly 3,000 migrant doctors, nurses and paramedics plus their family members are to have their visas extended for a year to assist the fight against coronavirus, the Home Office has announced.
The extension, which is free of charge, will apply to about 2,800 NHS staff whose visas are due to expire before 1 October.
The Home Office said it has also lifted the restriction on the amount of hours student nurses and doctors can work in the NHS, while pre-registered overseas nurses who are currently required to sit their first skills test within three months and to pass the test within eight months, will have this deadline extended to the end of the year as well.
This will give overseas nurses more time to pass their exams, while they spend the immediate term working on the frontline.
The home secretary, Priti Patel, said:
Doctors, nurses and paramedics from all over the world are playing a leading role in the NHS’s efforts to tackle coronavirus and save lives. We owe them a great deal of gratitude for all that they do.
I don’t want them distracted by the visa process. That is why I have automatically extended their visas – free of charge – for a further year.
The extension to NHS visas will be automatic, there will be no fee attached and it will be exempt from the immigration health surcharge.
Updated
Waitrose is lifting its restriction on items that shoppers can buy in its 338 UK stores from today, due to more product availability and less stockpiling. The supermarket said in a statement:
Capping in our physical shops no longer includes all fresh food. Previously, the three item cap we had in stores (and a maximum of two packets of toilet roll per customer) only excluded fruit and veg, beers, wines, cider and spirits as well as Easter confectionery.
Now it excludes all fresh food - ie meat, fish, poultry, deli, bakery, fresh soups, meals and desserts. Fruit and veg, beers, wines, cider and spirits as well as Easter confectionery all remain excluded.
The retailer said it would continue to have a temporary cap on certain products on its online delivery service, Waitrose.com, to ensure more customers have access to the products they want.
Discount supermarket Aldi and Tesco, the UK’s largest retailer, also announced the easing of restrictions earlier today.
Updated
Wales death toll rises by seven to 69
The number of people who have died in Wales after contracting coronavirus is 69, a rise of seven, health officials said.
Public Health Wales said there were 112 new confirmed cases of coronavirus, taking the total to 1,563, though it said the true number was likely to be higher.
Dr Giri Shankar, incident director for the Covid-19 outbreak response at Public Health Wales, said:
Seven further deaths have been reported to us of people who had tested positive for novel coronavirus, taking the number of deaths in Wales to 69.
We offer our condolences to families and friends affected, and we ask those reporting on the situation to respect patient confidentiality.
There have been 25 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the Aneurin Bevan health board area, which covers parts of south-east Wales. The area is a “hot-spot for the virus.” However there are more new cases now further west. Cardiff and Vale had an extra 31 cases and Cwm Taf - Bridgend - recorded 30 new cases.
Meanwhile, the Welsh health minister, Vaughan Gething, said soldiers were at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff today preparing for it if needs to be turned into a field hospital.
Gething said sites for field hospitals were also being identified in north and west Wales.
Updated
Northern Ireland deaths rise by six to 28
The number of people who have died in Northern Ireland after contracting coronavirus has risen by six to 28, health officials said.
Testing has resulted in 53 new positive cases, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the region to 586.
Updated
The chef Jamie Oliver is backing an initiative to help families receiving vouchers for children on free school meals to get inspiration for planning healthy and easy-to-prepare food to eat at home.
Families with children eligible for free school meals in England will be able to claim weekly shopping vouchers - £15 per child - while schools are closed due to the coronavirus outbreak - education ministers announced today.
But headteachers have warned that even with the vouchers, issued by schools, some parents will struggle to feed their children.
Jamie Oliver, a father of five, is the co-founder of Bite Back 2030, a youth-led campaigning movement for a fairer food system. It has joined forces with the School Food Matters charity to pull together a simple shopping list along with some meal ideas for families based on the new £15 voucher.
Oliver said:
It’s fantastic to see many people come together across the country to support kids and families so that no child goes hungry. We need to make it as easy as possible right now for parents and carers to feed their children well.
It aims for simple meals such as filled jacket potatoes that can be made with minimal preparation time and equipment whilst meeting the nutritional requirements of official school food standards. It has also been price-checked to fall within the allocated £15 budget at a national mid-range supermarket.
Updated
The Welsh health minister has expressed his frustration at a decision by a private company to pull out of a contract to provide 5,000 extra Covid-19 tests in Wales a day.
Ten day ago Vaughan Gething said that by tomorrow - 1 April - Wales would be able to carry out 6,000 tests a day, which would have helped get more frontline NHS staff back to work more quickly.
But the contract with the private company fell through, leaving Wales only able to carry out 800 tests at the moment with this set to rise slightly to 1,100 by the end of the week. So far Wales has tested around 1,000 health and social care staff.
Questioned about the issue at the Welsh government’s press conference, Gething said the administration had a written undertaking with the company.
He said: “We had a clear agreement for that company’s team to come into Wales and to set up the infrastructure required. The company made a decision they weren’t able to fulfil the agreement they’d reached with us.
“I’ve been clear about my disappointment that hasn’t happened. I recognise the interests of the public and in particular our frontline workers to increase our capacity sooner rather than later. There’s no getting away from the fact that those additional tests that we were due to have would have made an earlier difference to us.”
Gething refused to name the company and said his focus now was to provide more tests through other providers. “We’ve diversified the range of people we’re working with. You will see an increase.”
He said that “within two to three weeks” Wales would be able to carry out about 5,000 tests a day. By the end of May there would be capacity for a further 4,000 tests.
Damian Green, the former de facto deputy prime minister, has said it is “undeniable” the coronavirus outbreak was caused by “unhygienic practices in Chinese markets”.
Green, formerly Theresa May’s second-in-command. also called for international relations with China to be reexamined over the country’s failure to alert global leaders to the extent of the pandemic.
Writing on Conservative Home, he added that the UK’s stance towards China:
May have to become similar to our attitude to Russia in the more peaceful stages of the cold war. Co-operate where we can, but guard when we must.”
His comments come after a wet market in Wuhan, eastern China, was linked to the outbreak.
On Monday, the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, suggested that a “lessons learned” inquiry would need to be set up in the aftermath of the crisis due to questions surrounding the country’s handling of Covid-19.
Updated
Home Office extends NHS workers UK visas
NHS doctors, nurses and paramedics whose UK visas are due to expire before 1 October will have them automatically extended for a year.
The decision was made so that they can “focus on fighting coronavirus”, the Home Office said.
Updated
Scottish lawyers have attacked plans to suspend jury trials in Scotland as part of sweeping measures to cope with the coronavirus crisis, describing the proposals as “premature, disproportionate and ill-advised”.
The Scottish government is pushing through a swathe of emergency powers in a new bill expected to be approved in a single day by MSPs tomorrow, which will include banning landlords from evicting tenants who cannot afford rent and extending detention times for people with mental illnesses.
Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister, said the jury trial measures were necessary to ensure that serious criminal trials did not halt entirely because juries were unable to sit during the crisis. She insisted they were essential given the seriousness of the crisis.
“We are not deaf or blind to the concerns around these powers,” she said. “We would never have wanted to be in a position to pass legislation like this. We wouldn’t be doing it unless we thought it was necessary for the protection of the population.”
Mike Russell, the Scottish constitutional affairs minister, said the powers had been sought by the head of the Scottish judiciary, Lord Carloway, and the head of the prosecution system, the lord advocate, James Wolffe QC.
Russell said there was no alternative but were strictly time-limited and subject to two monthly reports to the Scottish parliament. “We want to keep people safe.”
The Scottish Criminal Bar Association, which represents court room lawyers, said the suspension of jury trials, the relaxation of rules around corroboration and hearsay evidence were unprecedented and eroded fundamental principles of fairness.
“What is proposed includes attacks on principles that have been built over more than 600 years and are the very cornerstone of not just Scotland’s criminal justice system, but those of almost every advanced liberal democracy in the developed world.
“[These] measures are premature, disproportionate and ill-advised. They are at best a kneejerk reaction to an as yet unquantified problem instigated by panic, and at worst something far more sinister.”
In a statement, Lord Carloway said the courts were already facing a “monumental” backlog in cases so the powers to try cases without juries was necessary.
“Unless action is taken to mitigate the impact of this, there will be substantial delays in bringing accused persons to trial. These are likely to stretch into years rather than months. The delays will be unprecedented in Scottish legal history. This will have many adverse impacts, including uncertainty for the accused, complainers and witnesses. Such delays will have a highly disruptive effect on their lives, and potentially on the wider system.”
Updated
An MP has said he is “proud” that a site in Harrogate may be turned into an NHS Nightingale hospital during the coronavirus outbreak.
Reports that the Harrogate Convention Centre is the latest building to be chosen to become a field hospital have not been confirmed by NHS England.
But Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said the centre was a “versatile space in a well-connected location”.
In a statement, he added: “The fight against the coronavirus outbreak is a national endeavour and I am proud that Harrogate is playing its full part in that fight.
“This is the biggest crisis to face our nation since the second world ar. The biggest thing we can all do to help is to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.
“In our area, it is great that we have gone further and are playing an important role in the wider national effort.”
On Tuesday, the PA Media news agency reported that people could be seen carrying boxes inside the site’s grounds while security guards wearing face masks stood at the gate.
It added that workers wearing hard hats and overalls were seen inside the building, while forklift trucks were being used to move goods in the car park.
So far, NHS Nightingale hospitals have been confirmed at London’s ExCel centre, Birmingham’s NEC and Manchester’s Central Convention Complex.
Updated
Nicola Sturgeon holds daily briefing in Scotland
Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, began her daily briefing by announcing 1,993 positive cases of coronavirus in Scotland and a further 13 deaths, brining the total number of deaths to 60, with 135 people in intensive care currently.
Addressing Scotland’s emergency powers bill, which will be debated in a single day in the Holyrood parliament, Sturgeon said that she gave “an absolute assurance that none of these powers will stay on statute book any longer than necessary”.
The bill includes emergency powers on prisoner release, stopping evictions and – controversially - suspension of trial by jury. She said that “clear points of scrutiny” were being built into the legislation, and emphasised that the bill was developed in discussion with opposition parties.
Sturgeon also announced a funding boost for Scottish Women’s Aid and Rape Crisis Scotland, saying: “The key message is that people who are suffering domestic abuse do not have wait to seek help.”
Scotland’s chief medical officer, Catherine Calderwood, underlined that the proportion of those tested who were testing positive was increasing – cases continue to increase: “Despite all that we are doing, the virus is still being transmitted in our communities.”
The only age group not showing sustained increase in transmission is the under-15s.
Updated
Boris Johnson’s official spokesman has given his daily briefing, where he could not expand on the reasons why the UK is failing to hit targets on testing for coronavirus.
- He could not say whether it was the aim for the UK to start testing for live cases in the community whenever possible - as advocated by former health secretary Jeremy Hunt and many public health experts.
- No 10 is not ruling out more field hospitals like those in London, Manchester, Birmingham.
- Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, received a slapdown for saying people should only be shopping once a week - when that is not the official guidance. The spokesman said the clear advice was given in the advice on coronavirus released by the government last week.
- Cabinet was conducted by video conference, with isolating ministers Boris Johnson, Matt Hancock and Alister Jack all in virtual attendance. Johnson told his cabinet that the situation is “going to get worse before it gets better - but it will get better”.
Updated
Jeremy Corbyn has said the Brexit transition period should be extended beyond the end of the year.
Speaking on BBC Radio 2’s Jeremy Vine programme, the outgoing Labour leader said:
I think what we have to do is hold the present position where we maintain the trading and regulatory alignment with Europe.
“At the moment it’s until the end of the year - I think that has to be extended beyond the end of the year because let’s get through coronavirus first and then work that out.
“Because, if nothing else, this has shown the interdependence of near-neighbour countries and the importance of that.”
British artist Tracey Emin is sharing a visual diary of a week in her life during the coronavirus lockdown.
Emin, known for her unflinchingly autobiographical and confessional artwork, has been posting personal photos, videos and writing on the White Cube gallery’s Instagram account.
In her first diary entry on 26 March, Emin posteda video of herself in a bubble bath, with a cafetière and tray of food at her feet.
She wrote: “Today I would be happy.. today I would celebrate my solitude.. if I were not filled with an over powering sense of fear.. A darkness.. that has made me want to live more than ever. I was almost content, to sit and wait out my end.’
In her most recent post today, Emin shared a video of her working on several large paintings in her studio at 4.45am.
The artist will share her final diary entry tomorrow.
Updated
Britons spent an extra 22% on booze in March, with sales of alcohol outperforming those of groceries.
Figures from market research firm Kantar, show that sales of food and other essential items from supermarkets increased by 20.6% over the same period.
The boost came as pubs, clubs and bars were ordered by the government to close on Friday 20 March.
Earlier today, our consumer affairs correspondent Rebecca Smithers reported that in total, UK shoppers made nearly 80m extra grocery trips in the past month – spending almost £2bn more on food and drink than in 2019.
Other countries have taken a different approach to alcohol sales during coronavirus confinement – with the Greenland capital, Nuuk, banning them altogether in an effort to clamp down on domestic violence.
I’m Amy Walker, taking over from my colleague Lucy during lunchtime.
Updated
Further 13 people die in Scotland bringing toll to 60
The number of people in Scotland who have died after being diagnosed with Covid-19 is 60, a rise of 13 on Monday, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
Speaking at a briefing at the Scottish government headquarters in Edinburgh, she said as of 9am on Tuesday 1,993 people had tested positive for the virus, up 430 on the previous day.
She said 108 of these positive tests have come from a lab that was unable to submit data over the weekend, “part of the reason why this increase is so high”.
Updated
The UK spends less per capita on healthcare than 10 other countries, according to new data issued by Eurostat.
Sweden, Denmark and Luxembourg, lead the way spending more than €5,000 per head, followed by Germany, Ireland Austria and the Netherlands at more than €4,000 and Belgium, France and Finland at between than €3,700 and €3,900 per head. According to the figures for 2017, the UK spent €3,409 per head.
Updated
More than 80 leading UK academics have written to the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, calling on him to increase child benefit to £50 per week per child to help millions of families facing a significant loss of income due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Several charities, including the Child Poverty Action Group, have called for a £10 rise in child benefit, which is £20.70 a week for the first child and £13.70 for subsequent children, to offset the financial impact of the Covid-19 outbreak.
But the academics said that with the benefit now covering only at best a fifth of the cost of raising a child, including food, clothing and basic utilities, this would only be a modest rise and a far higher increase would be a more “reasonable and appropriate step”.
Millions of families are facing a catastrophic fall in income. We need to get money to them fast - no waits, no complex claims process, and without putting further pressure on civil servants. We are asking @rishisunak to #RaiseChildBenefit #£50ChildBenefit @DWP @theresecoffey pic.twitter.com/hyaWItdVEl
— Kate Summers (@kateesummers) March 31, 2020
One of the signatories, Dr Kate Summers, of the London School of Economics, said:
There are already 4.2 million children in poverty in the UK, that’s 30% of children, and even before this crisis this was projected to rise, the hugely uncertain and volatile economic conditions will exacerbate this trend.
Child benefit offers a ready-made channel to get money directly to families immediately. The urgency with which money should be delivered into households is currently being underestimated by the [government’s] policy responses introduced so far.
Updated
The shadow culture secretary, Tracy Brabin, has written to Rishi Sunak asking him to reconsider some of the restrictions on help for self-employed workers and freelancers.
In a letter to the chancellor shared on Twitter, Brabin writes that “thousands of self-employed workers have expressed fears and frustrations that the support they are due to receive is not representative of the income they will lose to the Covid-19 pandemic”.
Among those to lose out, she said, would be those who became self-employed after April 2019, people who are part-employed and part self-employed, those on maternity leave or with caring responsibilities, people on reduced hours and workers with ongoing expenses.
With over 47% of PAYE freelancers afraid they won’t qualify for government support, I wrote to @RishiSunak to ensure he includes PAYE freelancers and those encouraged to set up as a Ltd Company in his support package.@EquityUK @bectu @TheWritersGuild @Creative_Fed @ProspectUnion pic.twitter.com/L1gExU05D8
— Tracy Brabin MP 🌹 (@TracyBrabin) March 31, 2020
Updated
British Airways is suspending all its flights to and from Gatwick amid a collapse in demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The carrier said it would temporarily stop serving the UK’s second busiest airport “due to the considerable restrictions and challenging market environment”. Just 33 flights are due to take off or land at the West Sussex airport today, according to aviation data provider FlightStats.
Airlines have cancelled the majority of their flights because of the virus.
Updated
Shoppers will be able to make contactless card payments with a new higher limit of up to £45, up from the previous £30 limit, per transaction from Wednesday, as part of measures to address the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
It will mean more payments can be made without the need to handle cash and it will also reduce the number of occasions when people need to input their pin on a machine when making payments.
The software on card payment machines will be updated to accept the new limit but UK Finance said with hundreds of thousands of terminals in the UK, the updating process will happen gradually.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has said while the new contactless limit will be operational at some stores across the UK from 1 April, it may be some time before it can be applied more widely.
BRC head of payments policy, Andrew Cregan, said:
Some shops will take longer to make the necessary changes, given the strain they’re under.
Updated
Post Office Travel Money, the UK’s largest foreign currency provider, has suspended the ability to buy travel money online as well as its branch pre-order service.
The provider, which accounts for around one in four UK foreign exchange transactions, said that both the ability to purchase travel money online from the Post Office website and the use of its branch pre-order service would remain suspended “whilst strict self-isolation measures remain in place”. Its multi-currency travel money card remains operational.
Updated
Prisoners who have symptoms of Covid-19 are being placed in the same cells as those who have tested positive for the virus, the Guardian’s Eric Allison and Rowena Mason reveal.
The strategy, known as cohorting, has prompted fears that inmates with conventional flu symptoms risk contracting the more serious coronavirus.
Last Thursday and Friday, 12 inmates at Wandsworth prison in south-west London tested positive for the disease and were moved to a designated isolation wing. A further 40 inmates, who presented with coughs and respiratory problems, are now resident on the same landings. All the prisoners in “isolation” are sharing cells. Meals are brought to them and some report not being allowed out for showers.
A source at HMP Wandsworth told the Guardian that there were no plans for further testing at the jail, and prisoners who display symptoms are instead being placed on the isolation wing. The source said 52 prisoners were now classified as “infected”.
The revelation came as the Guardian learned that the justice secretary, Robert Buckland, was looking at releasing pregnant prisoners, amid growing concern about the vulnerability of inmates to the spread of coronavirus. It is understood that the government is not considering a larger-scale release of low-risk prisoners.
You can read the full exclusive story here.
The children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent has launched an emergency appeal following a huge increase in demand for its social work support services from anxious families affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
The charity said people are struggling emotionally and financially with the outbreak, during which CLIC Sargent has given out over £45,000 in hardship grants to families in crisis struggling to afford the essentials such as food and paying bills. Many were already at financial breaking point before the pandemic, it said, with people also now worried about their child’s risk of infection, families separated by isolation rules, struggling financially or practically getting to their child’s bedside in hospital.
The charity, which relies on 100% voluntary funding, says it is now facing a 60% drop in income from donations needed to fund this support.
We are seeing a 60% drop in our income, while the number of families in crisis increases rapidly. Every day we spend in isolation, parents are still being told the devastating news that their child has cancer. Please help by donating what you can: https://t.co/37UvkncsDw pic.twitter.com/0h1K0nhtOy
— CLIC Sargent (@CLIC_Sargent) March 30, 2020
Rachel Kirby-Rider, the charity’s chief executive, said:
Cancer doesn’t stop for coronavirus and the young cancer patients and families we support are facing a real crisis and need us more than ever. One parent told us that they feel as worried now about coronavirus as they did the day that they were told their child had cancer.
We will continue to fight to be here for those families but we urgently need funding to do that. Our supporters are incredible and today we’ve launched an emergency appeal to try raise the funding we need, but we also desperately need government to help charities, who are supporting the most vulnerable people in this crisis, to survive.
You can donate online here.
Updated
Separate figures from the ONS show that for the 108 deaths registered up to 20 March where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, 45 (or 42%) were people aged 85 and over while 34 (31%) were people aged 75-84.
A total of 21 deaths (19%) were people aged 65-74, seven (6%) were people aged 45-64 and one death was aged 15-44 years.
Updated
A mysterious figure known only as the Stockport Spiderman has been cheering up isolated children in the Greater Manchester borough.
Spiderman goes out for an hour each day — even superheroes need to take their government-sanctioned exercise — and visits a different neighbourhood to bring joy to children.
Parents can request a visit to their street, on the condition their offspring stay indoors and wave from their windows. Here is a video from the Stocky Spidy himself explaining the rules of his engagement.
A 94-year-old woman who is known by her family as “super gran” has recovered from coronavirus after 10 days in hospital.
Retired nurse Joy, whose family asked not to use her surname, praised NHS staff as she returned to her residential home in Beccles in Suffolk.
Her grandson, Toby Basil, told PA that Joy was taken to hospital by ambulance after she experienced breathing difficulties and dialled 111. She had a temperature and tested positive for coronavirus and pneumonia.
Basil added she still has some mild symptoms and has taken it upon herself to self-isolate for 14 days, rather than the recommended seven. He said:
She’s just an outstanding woman. They just don’t build them like that any more. She just seems to be able to bounce back off these things and come back stronger, even at 94.
Updated
Quit smoking to reduce coronavirus risks, Public Health Wales urges
Public Health Wales has urged the country’s 440,000 smokers to quit now to reduce the risks from Covid-19 and said it has seen a rise in the number of people asking for help to stop.
It says smokers are more at risk from Covid-19 because they have weakened lung defences and more regular hand-to-mouth contact, giving more chances for picking up the virus. Many also have existing lung conditions caused by smoking.
According to Public Health Wales, hundreds of smokers have contacted the NHS Help Me Quit helpline since the outbreak began and in response more telephone support advisers have been drafted in.
Meanwhile, the website of the tobacco control campaign group ASH Wales has had a 40% increase in visitors, mostly searching for online advice on how to quit.
Ashley Gould, a public health consultant at Public Health Wales, said:
Seven in ten smokers in Wales say they would like to quit – there might never be a more important time than now to try harder than ever.
We know that Covid-19 is mainly a respiratory disease and research on similar viruses shows tobacco smoke increases the risks of this type of infection, and how serious it can be.
Suzanne Cass, CEO of Ash Wales, said:
We know that giving up smoking can be incredibly tough but there really is no more important time to quit. The health benefits kick in within minutes of stubbing out that last cigarette and continue to grow with time.
Updated
Covid-19 a 'death sentence' for many elderly and vulnerable inmates, MoJ told
Business leaders and lawyers have called on the Ministry of Justice to grant early release to prisoners convicted of non-violent offences and those who are medically vulnerable and at risk of catching Covid-19 in jail.
In a letter coordinated by the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice, the government is being urged to free on temporary licence elderly inmates, those with six months or less still to serve, pregnant women and those awaiting trial on non-violent charges - “unless there is clear and convincing evidence an individual would present a current and unreasonable risk to the physical safety of the community”.
The devolved government in Northern Ireland on Monday announced that it would begin releasing prisoners early in similar categories to reduce the risk of mass infections in jails. Several inmates from British jails have already died.
The letter to the justice secretary, Robert Buckland QC, has been signed by leading business figures, such as Martha Lane Fox, as well as prominent lawyers and penal reformers. It states:
To continue detaining these vulnerable inmates is tantamount to a death sentence for many. It presents an unacceptable risk of infection to inmates, prison staff and the general public...
Once infected, many elderly and other vulnerable prisoners stand to become extremely ill and die. Current estimates project fatalities exceeding 1 percent of the incarcerated population, amounting to over 800 deaths.
Just one person carrying Covid-19 can infect dozens of others in close quarters. Every single day, thousands of British citizens go to work inside our prisons then return to their communities. Any outbreaks inside facilities will quickly spread to the surrounding areas, causing unnecessary suffering and preventable deaths.
Chris Daw QC, a barrister at Serjeants’ Inn who is one of the signatories, reiterated that Covid-19 is “a death sentence for many elderly and vulnerable inmates”. He said:
Releasing them isn’t just about public health, it’s about human rights.
Updated
Fifty MPs from various parties have written to Boris Johnson calling for the creation of a coronavirus compensation scheme for frontline workers during the crisis.
The letter called for staff “who die as a result of contracting Covid-19 while performing frontline duties” and would include a lump sum up front, a guaranteed income for the worker’s family and child payments to eligible children under 18.
The letter, shared on Twitter by Liberal Democrats MP Layla Moran, was also signed by Labour MP Jess Phillips, the Plaid Cymru Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts, and Conservative MP Sir Charles Walker.
50 cross-party MPs have written to the PM calling for the creation of a Coronavirus Compensation Scheme. Our gratitude to all those on the frontline is limitless. They deserve the security and comfort this would bring. Sign the petition 👉 https://t.co/t2AcKeJCWp pic.twitter.com/d8A6m3N4BO
— Layla Moran 🔶 (@LaylaMoran) March 31, 2020
Updated
Covid-19 on 210 death certificates in England and Wales by 20 March
The ONS has published the first of its new weekly bulletin which will include all instances where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate and will include non-hospital deaths.
A total of 210 deaths in England and Wales that occurred up to and including 20 March (and which were registered up to 25 March) had Covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics.
This compares with 170 coronavirus-related deaths reported by NHS England and Public Health Wales up to and including March 20.
A quick note on the difference between the figures published by the ONS and those that have been published thus far by NHS England and Public Health Wales:
The ONS death figures are based on the number of deaths registered in England and Wales where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate as “deaths involving Covid-19”. The number includes all deaths, not just those in hospitals, although there is usually a delay of at least five days between a death occurring and registration.
The figures published by NHS England and Public Health Wales are for deaths only among hospital patients who have tested positive for Covid-19, but include deaths that have not yet been registered.
Updated
March was the busiest month on record for supermarkets across Britain as shoppers rushed to stock up on vital supplies to see them through the coronavirus pandemic, according to new data from Kantar.
Grocery sales soared by 20.6% in the last four weeks, and 7.6% in the last 12, beating even Christmas shopping.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, said:
Retailers and their staff have been on the front line as households prepare for an extended stay at home, with grocery sales amounting to £10.8 billion during the past four weeks alone - that’s even higher than levels seen at Christmas, the busiest time of year under normal circumstances.
The data suggested that shoppers have tended to focus on buying supplies more regularly, rather than massively increasing the amount they buy per trip.
However, shopping trolleys have been filling up more as well. The average household increased its spending by £62.92 over the last four weeks, with shoppers in London, where the virus hit first, spent a quarter more than they usually do.
Updated
The Labour MP, Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, has written to the health secretary, Matt Hancock, asking how long NHS staff will have to wait for testing.
In the letter, which she shared on Facebook this morning, she writes:
As you will be aware, I have been working in hospital during the Covid-19 crisis. As such, I would like to convey messages to you from the front line regarding mass testing and seek clarity regarding the availability of testing for NHS staff and the wider population.
Allin-Khan cites apparent discrepancies between the number of tests carried out on health service staff, adding that the “lack of testing is having a huge mental health impact on our NHS workforce”.
The Tooting MP adds:
On the front line we go in to work to save lives - we welcome measures to keep the public safe by keeping them at home, protecting them from harm. In order to get ahead of this virus, I believe we need to fully understand what we are dealing with, and we can only do so by mass testing.
Today I’ve written to @MattHancock regarding the need to roll out mass testing.
— Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (@DrRosena) March 31, 2020
I welcome testing for NHS staff, but my colleagues on the ground are wondering how long they’ll have to wait.
We will only get on top of this virus by mass testing. pic.twitter.com/kO41uMyAqY
A Covid-19 test centre for NHS workers has opened at Ikea’s store in Wembley, north-west London.
A spokesman for the Swedish furniture giant said:
We’re enormously proud of the NHS and proud to be able to offer Wembley as an additional medical facility.
We have also responded to requests from intensive care units and doctors across the country by delivering tens of thousands of our disposable paper tape measures, to help them continue their amazing care for their patients.
Updated
Good morning. The Office for National Statistics is due to release the first publication of the coronavirus death toll to include deaths outside UK hospitals (so in care homes and in the community), giving a more accurate indication of the true number. The bulletin will contain the numbers of deaths involving Covid-19 - specifically, where Covid-19 was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, including in combination with other health conditions. The death toll as of yesterday was 1,408 and with the inclusion of non-hospital deaths, this could rise significantly.
The front pages today are dominated by criticism of the government for failing to roll out testing sooner and the general unpreparedness of the UK for this outbreak. The Daily Mail reports that the “fiasco” of the lack of testing has meant that a quarter of all hospital doctors are now self-isolating at home when they are most needed.
Tuesday’s MAIL: Now 1 in4 hospital doctors off work #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/gwllGTqxt7
— Helen Miller (@MsHelicat) March 30, 2020
The Times (paywall) reveals that the shortage of masks and gowns in the NHS should have been foreseen a decade ago, as the Cabinet Office first identified that a pandemic would lead to a “pinch point” in the availability of PPE for doctors in 2007-08.
Meanwhile, people should only leave their home to go shopping once a week to buy the essentials as part of the restrictions imposed to combat Covid-19, the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said on the early broadcast round this morning. Shapps acknowledged there had been “teething problems” with the police facing accusations of being heavy handed in enforcing the lockdown, but said people should continue to follow the rules.
We will be covering all UK coronavirus developments throughout the day. You can read all the latest Guardian coronavirus articles here, you can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here and here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news.
If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @lucy_campbell_.
Updated
