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| UK coronavirus live: London hospital declares 'critical incident' due to surge in patients | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| All the day’s developments as the government discusses new London clampdown on pubs, cinemas and gyms | |
| Manchester Airport will work from a single terminal following a fall in passenger numbers due to the coronavirus pandemic. | |
| A spokesman said from Wednesday the airport, which has three terminals, will only operate Terminal One: | |
| Luxury perfumer Miller Harris is donating its entire stock of 11,000 hand washes, hand lotion and hard soaps as treats for the elderly via Age UK. | |
| The company is distributing soaps and hand washes to Age UK across the country. Support workers will then deliver the package to those in need within their local areas. | |
| Iconic luxury store Harrods has announced it will be closing its doors amid the coronavirus crisis. | |
| The department store in Knightsbridge, London, said it will keep its food halls and pharmacy open to continue providing “essential services” - but the rest of the store will shut from 7pm this evening. | |
| Cambridge University Botanic Garden is to remain open, free of charge, from this Saturday, 21 March, until further notice. | |
| Botanic Garden Friends said it was hugely important for accessible outdoor spaces to support physical and mental health at this difficult time. | |
| M&S, Lidl, Aldi, Danone and Coca-Cola European Partners have partnered with donations platform Neighbourly to create the Neighbourly Community Fund, funnelling funds directly to community organisations helping those most at risk during coronavirus crisis. | |
| The partners have already committed a combined total of almost £500,000 to the fund, to provide immediate micro-grants to community organisations that are helping the people most affected by the outbreak, including the elderly, those on low incomes and people at risk of food insecurity. | |
| The launch of the fund follows a new survey of Neighbourly’s front-line charity and community partners, which showed: | |
| More than 60% of charities have already seen a reduction in food surplus donations from businesses in recent weeks | |
| 75% of organisations expect to provide emergency provision after schools close | |
| 77% of charities supporting older people expect services to be disrupted, with 75% of organisations who support young people fearing the same | |
| Northwick Park Hospital has declared a “critical incident” due to a surge in patients with coronavirus, the Health Service Journal reports. | Northwick Park Hospital has declared a “critical incident” due to a surge in patients with coronavirus, the Health Service Journal reports. |
| In a message to staff seen by the HSJ, the hospital in Harrow said it has no critical care capacity left and has contacted neighbouring hospitals about transferring patients who need critical care to other sites. | In a message to staff seen by the HSJ, the hospital in Harrow said it has no critical care capacity left and has contacted neighbouring hospitals about transferring patients who need critical care to other sites. |
| The hospital is run by London North West University Healthcare Trust, which has since reported six deaths related to coronavirus, all at Northwick Park. | The hospital is run by London North West University Healthcare Trust, which has since reported six deaths related to coronavirus, all at Northwick Park. |
| The news comes on the same day the Daily Telegraph reported (paywall) that Covid-19 patients were being turned away by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust as demand for lifesaving treatment surges. | The news comes on the same day the Daily Telegraph reported (paywall) that Covid-19 patients were being turned away by Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust as demand for lifesaving treatment surges. |
| The death toll in London has risen more sharply than the rest of the country, with figures revealing yesterday that four in 10 coronavirus-related deaths so far in the UK have been in London. | The death toll in London has risen more sharply than the rest of the country, with figures revealing yesterday that four in 10 coronavirus-related deaths so far in the UK have been in London. |
| You can read the full HSJ story here. | You can read the full HSJ story here. |
| A further 39 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in England to 167, NHS England said. | A further 39 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in England to 167, NHS England said. |
| The patients were aged between 50 and 99 years old and had underlying health conditions. | The patients were aged between 50 and 99 years old and had underlying health conditions. |
| They died at hospitals run by the following NHS Trusts: | They died at hospitals run by the following NHS Trusts: |
| Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn NHS Trust - 2 Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust - 1 South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - 1 Medway NHS Foundation Trust - 1 Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust - 2 Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust - 1 Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust - 2 Great Western Hospital NHS Trust - 1 Torbay & South Devon NHS Foundation Trust - 2 Royal Gloucester NHS Foundation Trust - 1 Royal United Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - 1 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - 4 Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust - 1 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust - 4 University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust - 1 Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust - 3 London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust - 1 Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - 4 St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - 3 University College London Hospitals NHS Trust - 1 Croydon Health Services NHS Trust - 2 | Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn NHS Trust - 2 Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust - 1 South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - 1 Medway NHS Foundation Trust - 1 Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust - 2 Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust - 1 Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust - 2 Great Western Hospital NHS Trust - 1 Torbay & South Devon NHS Foundation Trust - 2 Royal Gloucester NHS Foundation Trust - 1 Royal United Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - 1 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - 4 Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust - 1 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust - 4 University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust - 1 Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust - 3 London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust - 1 Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - 4 St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - 3 University College London Hospitals NHS Trust - 1 Croydon Health Services NHS Trust - 2 |
| Total: 39. | Total: 39. |
| WhatsApp is in talks to set up a dedicated NHS chatbot to allow people to access basic information about the coronavirus pandemic, sources with knowledge of the discussions have told the Guardian, as the messaging service seeks to shed its growing reputation as a hub for disinformation about the pandemic. | WhatsApp is in talks to set up a dedicated NHS chatbot to allow people to access basic information about the coronavirus pandemic, sources with knowledge of the discussions have told the Guardian, as the messaging service seeks to shed its growing reputation as a hub for disinformation about the pandemic. |
| Any NHS chatbot is likely to follow the same pattern as the one the World Health Organization launched on Friday, which gives people access to up-to-date information about the virus, and emoji-laden guidance on how to combat its spread, through the messaging service. | Any NHS chatbot is likely to follow the same pattern as the one the World Health Organization launched on Friday, which gives people access to up-to-date information about the virus, and emoji-laden guidance on how to combat its spread, through the messaging service. |
| WhatsApp sources said separately that it had also considered whether it should further limit the number of people and groups to whom a single message can be forwarded, but that no change was imminent. The service introduced a limit last year that prevents a single message or piece of content from being forwarded to more than five people or groups at a time in an attempt to reduce the spread of fake news. | WhatsApp sources said separately that it had also considered whether it should further limit the number of people and groups to whom a single message can be forwarded, but that no change was imminent. The service introduced a limit last year that prevents a single message or piece of content from being forwarded to more than five people or groups at a time in an attempt to reduce the spread of fake news. |
| You can read the full story here. | You can read the full story here. |
| The government needs to introduce food rationing urgently to prevent key workers and disadvantaged families going hungry, leading food experts have said in a letter to the prime minister today. | The government needs to introduce food rationing urgently to prevent key workers and disadvantaged families going hungry, leading food experts have said in a letter to the prime minister today. |
| Tim Lang, a former government adviser and professor of food policy at London’s City University, said a major food crisis was rapidly unfolding. Rationing is already taking place unofficially in supermarkets but in a way that takes no account of people’s need, he has told Downing Street along with fellow authors, Prof Erik Millstone of Sussex University, and Prof Terry Marsden of Cardiff University. | Tim Lang, a former government adviser and professor of food policy at London’s City University, said a major food crisis was rapidly unfolding. Rationing is already taking place unofficially in supermarkets but in a way that takes no account of people’s need, he has told Downing Street along with fellow authors, Prof Erik Millstone of Sussex University, and Prof Terry Marsden of Cardiff University. |
| They warn that food banks and food share schemes that give food to those on low incomes are reporting serious shortages, while key workers who can only shop at the end of their shifts are finding shelves empty and nothing to eat. | They warn that food banks and food share schemes that give food to those on low incomes are reporting serious shortages, while key workers who can only shop at the end of their shifts are finding shelves empty and nothing to eat. |
| Lang said: | Lang said: |
| The food bank was unable to source food and essentials such as tinned meat and vegetables, long-life milk, and toiletries such as toilet paper and soap even though it had funding to buy them. | The food bank was unable to source food and essentials such as tinned meat and vegetables, long-life milk, and toiletries such as toilet paper and soap even though it had funding to buy them. |
| Kris Gibbon-Walsh, head of operations at Fareshare, a charity that supplies food manufacturing and retail surplus to charities that would usually feed 1 million people a week, said it too was struggling to get supplies. He called for the government to step in immediately with funding and mandatory allocation of supplies: | Kris Gibbon-Walsh, head of operations at Fareshare, a charity that supplies food manufacturing and retail surplus to charities that would usually feed 1 million people a week, said it too was struggling to get supplies. He called for the government to step in immediately with funding and mandatory allocation of supplies: |
| The experts’ letter to the prime minister says “there is a dangerous tendency to blame consumers” and that the problems only arise because of panic-buying. In the absence of clearer planning, with market mechanisms failing, consumers are only acting rationally in preparing for being confined at home, the authors add. | The experts’ letter to the prime minister says “there is a dangerous tendency to blame consumers” and that the problems only arise because of panic-buying. In the absence of clearer planning, with market mechanisms failing, consumers are only acting rationally in preparing for being confined at home, the authors add. |
| Before coronavirus struck, nearly 8bn meals a year in the UK were being eaten out of home. Suddenly people are having to make nearly all their meals at home. | Before coronavirus struck, nearly 8bn meals a year in the UK were being eaten out of home. Suddenly people are having to make nearly all their meals at home. |
| Gibbon-Walsh said supermarkets were struggling to adapt their algorithms quickly enough. These limit the amount delivered to stores to the amount of shelf space, number of people available to stack them, and number of drivers, so even though retailers have surplus at distribution centres, they cannot get it to stores to meet current demand. | Gibbon-Walsh said supermarkets were struggling to adapt their algorithms quickly enough. These limit the amount delivered to stores to the amount of shelf space, number of people available to stack them, and number of drivers, so even though retailers have surplus at distribution centres, they cannot get it to stores to meet current demand. |
| Parking app JustPark has launched a nationwide appeal to increase the number of free parking spaces near hospitals by allowing the general public to list spaces for free via their app. | Parking app JustPark has launched a nationwide appeal to increase the number of free parking spaces near hospitals by allowing the general public to list spaces for free via their app. |
| The aim is to ease pressure on NHS staff and patients with more parking options and to help them avoid using public transport to and from the hospital. | The aim is to ease pressure on NHS staff and patients with more parking options and to help them avoid using public transport to and from the hospital. |
| The app will not be levying any fees from the listings, in order to say a huge thank you to NHS workers and a ‘get better soon’ to patients. | The app will not be levying any fees from the listings, in order to say a huge thank you to NHS workers and a ‘get better soon’ to patients. |
| Details here. | Details here. |
| When Boris Johnson says we’ll turn the Covid-19 tide in 12 weeks, it’s just another line for the side of a bus, writes columnist Marina Hyde. | When Boris Johnson says we’ll turn the Covid-19 tide in 12 weeks, it’s just another line for the side of a bus, writes columnist Marina Hyde. |
| Read the full piece here. | Read the full piece here. |
| Television channels are scrambling to commission new programmes suitable for a stay-at-home audience, with Channel 4 today announcing that it has commissioned Jamie Oliver to present a daily show providing tips for cooking simple recipes in a crisis. | Television channels are scrambling to commission new programmes suitable for a stay-at-home audience, with Channel 4 today announcing that it has commissioned Jamie Oliver to present a daily show providing tips for cooking simple recipes in a crisis. |
| The programme, entitled Keep Cooking and Carry On, will be broadcast every weekday next week at 5.30pm – with Oliver pledging to teach people “how to make the most from kitchen staples and how to be creative with whatever ingredients they’ve got at home”. | The programme, entitled Keep Cooking and Carry On, will be broadcast every weekday next week at 5.30pm – with Oliver pledging to teach people “how to make the most from kitchen staples and how to be creative with whatever ingredients they’ve got at home”. |
| The BBC is already preparing its own new public service programming slate, including daily educational programmes and recipes for people with limited food supplies. | The BBC is already preparing its own new public service programming slate, including daily educational programmes and recipes for people with limited food supplies. |