Coronavirus: Can I make a cake for a friend? And other questions
Coronavirus: Can my boss make me return to work? And other questions
(12 days later)
There have now been more than 1.4 million coronavirus cases around the globe, and more than 80,000 deaths. Nearly 9,000 people have died in the UK.
There have now been more than 2.5 million coronavirus cases around the globe, and nearly 179,000 deaths - more than 17,000 of them in the UK.
Readers have been getting in touch via Instagram to ask questions about the outbreak.
Readers have been getting in touch to ask questions about the outbreak.
Is it safe to bake a friend cake for her birthday send it to her? - Samantha
My company wants me to return to work on 1 May but this is still within the lockdown period. Is this legal? - Jim Bridgeman, Kettering
It's hard to not be able to see our friends and family in person, especially on special occasions, so sending a gift shows we are thinking of them.
At the beginning of the lockdown (23 March), the government said that everyone should work from home if they could, and only go into a workplace if their job "absolutely cannot be done from home".
There is no evidence of Covid-19 being transmitted through food, and thorough cooking will kill the virus. The UK Food Standards Agency website has advice on food safety.
Your employer has a duty to protect your health and safety. If you or a member of your household have an underlying health condition which increases vulnerability to coronavirus, you could argue that you have a right not to come into work.
If you aren't displaying coronavirus symptoms, make sure you wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before you start baking.
The arbitration service Acas says employers should "listen to any concerns staff may have and should take steps to protect everyone".
If you are showing symptoms of the virus - or have been in contact with someone who has - then it's probably not a good idea to prepare food for somebody else.
If you still do not want to go in, you could ask to take time off as holiday or unexpected leave, but your employer does not have to agree to this.
That's because coronavirus spreads through small droplets - packed with the virus - expelled by a sufferer if they cough or sneeze. These can cause an infection if they are breathed in, or if someone touches a surface on which they have landed.
An employer could bring disciplinary action against an employee who they consider to be refusing to work without a good reason,
While the chance of contracting coronavirus through food delivery is low, it does exist.
However, the business support service Croner advises them to act cautiously. It says: "Forcing an employee to come into work against their will, in these unprecedented circumstances, is likely to get messy fast, so try to be as considerate and flexible as possible."
The tin or box the cake is placed in probably presents a higher risk than the cake itself, so your friend should rinse the packaging when she receives the cake.
If you're dropping the cake off yourself, you should maintain social distancing by ensuring you stay 2m (6ft) apart from each other.
Can you catch coronavirus from your dog or cat? - Javed
This is highly unlikely to happen, according to scientists and vets.
There have been no cases of pets passing the coronavirus to humans, and the same was true during the Sars outbreak in 2003, when there was not a single case of pet-to-human transmission.
Sars is a very closely-related virus to the coronavirus that causes Covid-19.
It is possible that a pet's fur could become contaminated if an infected person has previously touched or stroked the animal.
As always, you should wash your hands with soap and water after handling an animal or its lead, and avoid touching your nose and mouth.
The novel coronavirus is thought to have originated in wildlife and passed to humans via a live animal market, but it is likely the first people infected actually ate infected meat. Since then it has been spread from person to person.
However, a Malayan tiger at the Bronx Zoo recently tested positive for the virus. She was thought to have been infected by an asymptomatic zookeeper, so there is evidence of human-to-animal transmission.
How do you practise safe sex during a pandemic?
If you live with your partner, they count as being part of your household. If neither of you is showing coronavirus symptoms and you are already in close contact, having sex won't increase the likelihood of you catching the virus from one another. If one person does have symptoms, they should be self-isolating in a separate room.
Using contraception such as condoms won't alter your risk of catching the virus, as having sex will bring you into close physical contact anyway.
"If you are going to touch each other's genitals it's likely that you will potentially be kissing at the same time - and we know the virus is passed through saliva," Dr Alex George told the BBC's Newsbeat.
"Essentially, any possibility of transfer of coronavirus - from your mouth to your hands, to genitals, to someone else's nose or mouth - increases the risk of passing on coronavirus."
Are casual hook-ups dangerous? - May
Engaging in casual hook-ups is a bad idea at the moment. It's against government guidelines to leave your home for a non-essential reason, to make unnecessary journeys or to meet up with someone who is not living with you. Having close physical contact with someone not in your household could spread coronavirus, as there is no way for you to tell whether you or the other person may be carrying it.
Is it safe to try for a baby in this coronavirus situation? - Sam
We still don't know fully how Covid-19 affects pregnant women, but they have been placed into the "high risk" category meaning they should minimise all social contact.
We also don't know how long the pandemic will last, and going into hospital for essential scans and check-ups is likely to increase your risk of contracting the virus.
You could also find that birthing options are reduced and resources more stretched than usual. However, if you are already pregnant, the important thing is not to panic and to still attend essential hospital appointments.
How risky is coronavirus for teens with asthma? - Teresa
Because coronavirus attacks the respiratory system, anyone with existing breathing problems is at higher risk. Those with severe asthma have been placed in the "extremely vulnerable" group, meaning they are advised to stay at home for at least 12 weeks and should have been contacted by the government.
Those with mild asthma should still practise social distancing and only go out for essentials. If you start displaying coronavirus symptoms that do not improve after seven days, or you have difficulty breathing, make sure you call 111 or 999 and explain that you have asthma.
When people with asthma get respiratory infections, it can set off their asthma symptoms. Asthma UK recommends you keep taking your preventer inhaler daily as prescribed, to help cut the risk of an asthma attack being triggered by coronavirus. You should also carry your reliever inhaler with you every day, in case you feel your asthma symptoms flaring up.
Are young people who smoke weed or tobacco at more risk? - Eric
Smokers are more likely to have certain serious complications from coronavirus than other people, Public Health England says.
It points to early studies in China that indicate smokers with Covid-19 are 14 times more likely to develop severe respiratory disease.
Smoking tobacco or illegal drugs damages the lungs and airways, causing a range of respiratory problems. The coronavirus attacks the respiratory system, placing smokers at greater risk.
There is also evidence it suppresses and harms the immune system, with smokers twice as likely to catch pneumonia as non-smokers.
Smokers are also likely to regularly touch their mouth, increasing their risk of infection.
Sharing cigarettes or spliffs with others also makes you susceptible to catching coronavirus, which can be transmitted through saliva and via surfaces.
What do I need to know about the coronavirus?
What do I need to know about the coronavirus?
Do we not have reusable PPE and can't it just be washed or left for three days for any present virus to die? - Chris Stone, Lancashire
Personal protective equipment (PPE) protects health care workers from coming into contact with blood or body fluids that may contain some infectious agents (germs).
All PPE worn during the highest-risk situations - such as aprons, gloves and surgical masks - should usually be disposed of after a single use or session.
However, guidelines now say NHS staff can reuse some kit where it is safe to do so, even if it is labelled as single-use by the manufacturer.
The Health and Safety Executive says it recognises "some compromise" is needed when there are extreme shortages of kit, and that these "exceptional circumstances" do not reflect its standard approach.
For example, some gowns could be washed by the hospital laundry and reused, it says.
The British Medical Association, which represents doctors in the UK, is not happy with this situation. Dr Rob Harwood, chairman of its consultants committee, said "it absolutely cannot compromise the protection of healthcare workers".
The Royal College of Nursing says its members can refuse to treat patients as a "last resort" if adequate PPE has not been provided.
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