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| UK coronavirus live news: Boris Johnson 'stable' in hospital and does not have pneumonia, Downing Street says | UK coronavirus live news: Boris Johnson 'stable' in hospital and does not have pneumonia, Downing Street says |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Follow the latest developments as we wait for updates on the condition of the prime minister after his coronavirus symptoms worsened | Follow the latest developments as we wait for updates on the condition of the prime minister after his coronavirus symptoms worsened |
| The UK could see as many as 66,000 Covid-19 deaths during the first wave of the current pandemic, more than a third of the expected death toll across Europe, according to modelling by a US university. | |
| The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine estimated that approximately 151,680 people were likely to die from the virus across the continent. According to a news release by the institute: | |
| There is more here, on the global coronavirus live blog. | |
| Here is a full summary of the Downing Street lobby briefing. | |
| Boris Johnson does not have pneumonia, Downing Street has said. Until now ministers and No 10 have refused to give a clear answer to this question. But asked if the PM has been diagnosed with pneumonia, the PM’s spokesman said: “That is not the case, no.” | |
| The spokesman said that Johnson was “stable” overnight and “remains in good spirits”. (See 12.51pm.) | |
| Downing Street has signalled that it does not want to take up Donald Trump’s offer of experimental coronavirus drugs for Boris Johnson. (See 12.51pm.) | |
| Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, would take over if Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary who is deputising for the PM, got ill, the spokesman said. The spokesman said there was an established order of precedence in the government. After Raab, Sunak, is the next most senior person in the government, the spokesman said. (The spokesman sidestepped a question about who was next in seniority, and “how long it would take before Thérèse Coffey took charge”, but the order of precedence is normally the order in which ministers are listed on the official No 10 website. In theory, after Sunak, Priti Patel, the home secretary, and Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, are next in seniority - in that order. Coffey is 11th on the list.) | |
| Raab does not have the authority to “hire and fire” people in government while he is deputising for the PM, the spokesman said. | |
| The spokesman played down the prospect of the government announcing plans for an exit strategy from the lockdown anytime soon. He said that no was not the time to focus on this. | |
| The spokesman refused to say when the government would announce whether or not the lockdown measures are being extended. When they were announced by the PM, they were scheduled to run for a three-week period which will be over next Monday. The spokesman said that announcement about whether they would be extended would not necessarily come that day. He did not rule out it happening this week. | |
| He claimed there was no legal need for the lockdown to be renewed. [This is true in the short term, but the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020, which give legal force to the lockdown measures in England, do have to be reviewed every 21 days, with the first review due by 16 April. And the regulations expire after six months.] | |
| The spokesman refused to speculate on suggestions that schools could be opened before other lockdown measures are reversed (a proposal backed by University College London research published today). | |
| The spokesman rejected claims that the PM was getting special treatment at the St Thomas’ Hospital. When asked about claims that a ventilator was being set aside for the PM, the spokesman said there was “significant spare capacity” available in hospitals, including ventilators. | |
| The spokesman rejected claims that No 10 has not been fully frank with the media about the PM’s health. “We have a commitment to be as transparent as we can be throughout this process,” the spokesman said. | |
| The spokesman said Raab would be able to authorise military action in the PM’s absence. The spokesman said that, if a national security council was needed, Raab would chair it in the PM’s absence. There was a robust national security architecture in place, the spokesman said. And he said it had the authority and ability to respond to a military threat in the PM’s absence. | |
| The spokesman said Johnson had not spoken to Raab today. | |
| Raab will not participate on the PM’s behalf in the weekly audience with the Queen, the spokesman said. The spokesman said that it has been agreed with Buckingham Palace that these weekly audiences will be suspended while the PM is ill. | |
| The spokesman said Raab was feeling fine. | |
| Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, is working as usual, the spokesman said. But he said Dominic Cummings, the PM’s chief adviser, was still staying away from the office. Asked about the shortage of staff in No 10, the spokesman said it was “fully operational”. | |
| Dominic Raab will lead the press conference later at 5pm. He will be joined by Prof Chris Whitty, the government’s chief medical adviser, and Prof Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser. | |
| The Downing Street lobby briefing has just finished. It took place by conference call, as is normal now. | The Downing Street lobby briefing has just finished. It took place by conference call, as is normal now. |
| Here are the top lines. | Here are the top lines. |
| Boris Johnson does not have pneumonia, Downing Street has said. Until now ministers and No 10 have refused to give a clear answer to this question. But asked if the PM has been diagnosed with pneumonia, the spokesman said: “That is not the case, no.” | Boris Johnson does not have pneumonia, Downing Street has said. Until now ministers and No 10 have refused to give a clear answer to this question. But asked if the PM has been diagnosed with pneumonia, the spokesman said: “That is not the case, no.” |
| The spokesman said that Johnson was “stable” overnight and “remains in good spirits”. In a statement about his condition in intensive care, the prime minister’s spokesman said: | The spokesman said that Johnson was “stable” overnight and “remains in good spirits”. In a statement about his condition in intensive care, the prime minister’s spokesman said: |
| Downing Street has signalled that it does not want to take up Donald Trump’s offer of experimental coronavirus drugs for Boris Johnson. Asked about this, the spokesman said: | Downing Street has signalled that it does not want to take up Donald Trump’s offer of experimental coronavirus drugs for Boris Johnson. Asked about this, the spokesman said: |
| Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, would take over if Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary who is deputising for the PM, got ill, the spokesman said. | Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, would take over if Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary who is deputising for the PM, got ill, the spokesman said. |
| Raab does not have the authority to “hire and fire” people in government while he was deputising for the PM, the spokesman said. | Raab does not have the authority to “hire and fire” people in government while he was deputising for the PM, the spokesman said. |
| I will post a full summary of the briefing shortly. | I will post a full summary of the briefing shortly. |
| From Derbyshire Police | From Derbyshire Police |
| Another major domestic abuse charity has reported a surge in activity during the Covid-19 lockdown. | Another major domestic abuse charity has reported a surge in activity during the Covid-19 lockdown. |
| Women’s Aid is reporting a 41% increase in users visiting their Live Chat between 26 March and 1 April, compared with the previous week, as well as a marked increase in visitors across all digital support services. | Women’s Aid is reporting a 41% increase in users visiting their Live Chat between 26 March and 1 April, compared with the previous week, as well as a marked increase in visitors across all digital support services. |
| The Women’s Aid Covid-19/Coronavirus advice page for domestic abuse survivors has had 27,000 page views since its launch. | The Women’s Aid Covid-19/Coronavirus advice page for domestic abuse survivors has had 27,000 page views since its launch. |
| The figures come after the charity Refuge reported a 25% increase to the national domestic abuse helpline, which provides advice and facilitates referrals to refuge accommodation. | The figures come after the charity Refuge reported a 25% increase to the national domestic abuse helpline, which provides advice and facilitates referrals to refuge accommodation. |
| Women’s Aid and others have raised concerns that during this period, domestic abusers and their partners are self-isolating together at home and close proximity for extended periods may cause an increase in abusive incidents. | Women’s Aid and others have raised concerns that during this period, domestic abusers and their partners are self-isolating together at home and close proximity for extended periods may cause an increase in abusive incidents. |
| Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket, has this morning become the latest to lift purchasing restrictions in its stores – on all but a few product areas including toilet rolls, eggs and home baking. A Tesco spokesperson said: | Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket, has this morning become the latest to lift purchasing restrictions in its stores – on all but a few product areas including toilet rolls, eggs and home baking. A Tesco spokesperson said: |
| The three items per customer limit will remain in place on; toilet rolls and paper goods such as tissues; household and personal cleaning products including hand sanitisers; packets and tins of food, including pasta and rice; fresh eggs; home baking including flour. | The three items per customer limit will remain in place on; toilet rolls and paper goods such as tissues; household and personal cleaning products including hand sanitisers; packets and tins of food, including pasta and rice; fresh eggs; home baking including flour. |
| The government is to make extra funding available for schools to cover additional costs during the coronavirus outbreak, including free school meals over the Easter holidays. After an outcry by council leaders, teachers and campaigners, ministers confirmed that free school meals - through vouchers or other local schemes - should continue to be available during the two-week holiday for all eligible children. | The government is to make extra funding available for schools to cover additional costs during the coronavirus outbreak, including free school meals over the Easter holidays. After an outcry by council leaders, teachers and campaigners, ministers confirmed that free school meals - through vouchers or other local schemes - should continue to be available during the two-week holiday for all eligible children. |
| Ordinarily schools would be closed over Easter, but many are staying open to look after vulnerable children and those of key workers in the fight against Covid-19. The government is offering £25,000-75,000 per school as additional funding to cover the cost of keeping schools open and additional cleaning costs during the crisis in cases of suspected coronavirus. | Ordinarily schools would be closed over Easter, but many are staying open to look after vulnerable children and those of key workers in the fight against Covid-19. The government is offering £25,000-75,000 per school as additional funding to cover the cost of keeping schools open and additional cleaning costs during the crisis in cases of suspected coronavirus. |
| The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, said: | The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, said: |
| The government has also published a list of recommended online education resources to help children learn at home, which can be found here. | The government has also published a list of recommended online education resources to help children learn at home, which can be found here. |
| The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has added his name to the list of world leaders (see 7.43am) sending good wishes to Boris Johnson, the Telegraph’s Roland Oliphant reports. | The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has added his name to the list of world leaders (see 7.43am) sending good wishes to Boris Johnson, the Telegraph’s Roland Oliphant reports. |
| Doctors’ lives are still being put at risk by a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), with some calling the current provision “useless”, the British Medical Association (BMA) has warned. As PA Media reports, more than two-thirds of doctors (69%) questioned by the BMA said they did not feel protected from Covid-19 infection, while some feel forced to work in high-risk areas without the right equipment. | Doctors’ lives are still being put at risk by a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), with some calling the current provision “useless”, the British Medical Association (BMA) has warned. As PA Media reports, more than two-thirds of doctors (69%) questioned by the BMA said they did not feel protected from Covid-19 infection, while some feel forced to work in high-risk areas without the right equipment. |
| The snapshot survey of almost 2,000 medics showed that large numbers of doctors are still expected to care for Covid-19 patients with little or no PPE, the BMA said. Just 12% of 1,124 hospital doctors questioned said they felt fully protected from the virus at work, while 27% reported their trust was running low on basic supplies such as soap, PA Media reports. | The snapshot survey of almost 2,000 medics showed that large numbers of doctors are still expected to care for Covid-19 patients with little or no PPE, the BMA said. Just 12% of 1,124 hospital doctors questioned said they felt fully protected from the virus at work, while 27% reported their trust was running low on basic supplies such as soap, PA Media reports. |
| Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the BMA’s council, said: | Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the BMA’s council, said: |
| Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, has tweeted about his decision to self-isolate. (See 11.04am.) | Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, has tweeted about his decision to self-isolate. (See 11.04am.) |