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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/apr/08/uk-coronavirus-london--enough-intensive-care-beds-says-sadiq-khan-live-news-boris-johnson
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| UK coronavirus: London has enough intensive care beds to deal with crisis, says Sadiq Khan | UK coronavirus: London has enough intensive care beds to deal with crisis, says Sadiq Khan |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Mayor says capital has ‘capacity to deal with our needs’, as Cambridge University sets up new testing lab | Mayor says capital has ‘capacity to deal with our needs’, as Cambridge University sets up new testing lab |
| A long-stay car park at Gatwick airport will be used as a drive-through testing centre. | |
| The site will open on Wednesday and then daily from 9am to 5pm on an appointment-only basis, the airport said. Initially it will be for NHS staff and invited key workers. | |
| The airport’s chief executive Stewart Wingate said: | |
| British Airways employees have “overwhelmingly” voted to approve a deal to furlough the airline’s workers and preserve employment, Unite has announced. | |
| The union said its members backed the deal by 99%, following negotiations between the two sides in the wake of most flights being cancelled because of the coronavirus crisis. | |
| Under the agreement, a modified version of the government’s job retention scheme will be introduced, with workers furloughed on 80% of pay, but with no cap on earnings. | |
| Unite said workers will be able to divert their pension contributions into their pay for a short period of time, there will be no unpaid temporary lay-offs and no redundancies. | |
| Unite assistant general secretary Howard Beckett said: | |
| With 14 transport workers in London confirmed to have died after testing positive for coronavirus, a mother made a plea for public transport workers to be adequately protected following the death of her son. | |
| Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Anne Nyack criticised the lack of PPE for bus drivers after her 36-year-old son, Emeka Nyack Ihenacho, became one of nine bus drivers to have lost their lives after contracting the virus. | |
| She said of her son: | |
| The Courier reports on a “miracle in Perthshire” this morning, with the story of Daphne Shah, who has recovered from coronavirus in time to celebrate her 99th birthday in July. | |
| Shah, who lives in Dundee, spent four nights in Ninewells hospital over the weekend. Her son Wes told the newspaper that he feared he would never see his mother again after she was admitted by ambulance last Thursday. He praised NHS Scotland staff, saying that Shah received a level of care he’d only expect “if she was the only patient in the hospital”. | |
| At 1.38pm on 31 December, a Chinese government website announced the detection of a “pneumonia of unknown cause” in the area surrounding the South China seafood wholesale market in Wuhan, an industrial city of 11 million people. | |
| The outbreak was one of at least a dozen to be confirmed by the World Health Organization that December. Outside China, its discovery was barely noticed. | |
| Over the next 100 days, the virus would freeze international travel, extinguish economic activity and confine half of humanity to their homes, infecting more than a million people and counting, including the British prime minister, the heir to the British throne, an Iranian vice-president, and Idris Elba. By the middle of April, more than 75,000 would be dead. | |
| But all that was still unimaginable at the end of December, as 11.59pm ticked over to midnight, fireworks exploded and people embraced at parties and in packed streets. | |
| Here is Michael Safi’s long read on 100 days that changed the world. | |
| The London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the capital is “nowhere near” being able to lift the current Covid-19 lockdown restrictions and that experts have predicted the peak could be a week-and-a-half away yet. | The London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the capital is “nowhere near” being able to lift the current Covid-19 lockdown restrictions and that experts have predicted the peak could be a week-and-a-half away yet. |
| Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: | Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he said: |
| Earlier, speaking to BBC Breakfast, Mr Khan said his “thoughts and prayers” were with the city’s 14 transport workers who have died after contracting coronavirus. | Earlier, speaking to BBC Breakfast, Mr Khan said his “thoughts and prayers” were with the city’s 14 transport workers who have died after contracting coronavirus. |
| Good morning. I’m Lucy Campbell and I’ll be running the UK’s coronavirus live blog for the rest of the day. I’ll be bringing you all the latest updates on what’s happening, so please feel free to share any tips and insight in the comments, via email or on Twitter. | Good morning. I’m Lucy Campbell and I’ll be running the UK’s coronavirus live blog for the rest of the day. I’ll be bringing you all the latest updates on what’s happening, so please feel free to share any tips and insight in the comments, via email or on Twitter. |
| Email: lucy.campbell@guardian.co.ukTwitter: @lucy_campbell_ | Email: lucy.campbell@guardian.co.ukTwitter: @lucy_campbell_ |
| I am now handing over the blog to my colleague Lucy Campbell but here is a summary of all the latest so far today: | I am now handing over the blog to my colleague Lucy Campbell but here is a summary of all the latest so far today: |
| • Boris Johnson has spent a second night in intensive care amid concerns about the seriousness of his condition and how the government will make key decisions about the coronavirus pandemic in his absence. The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, who is deputising for the prime minister, has no power to make major decisions without cabinet agreement. | • Boris Johnson has spent a second night in intensive care amid concerns about the seriousness of his condition and how the government will make key decisions about the coronavirus pandemic in his absence. The foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, who is deputising for the prime minister, has no power to make major decisions without cabinet agreement. |
| • The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, has said the city, which is a hotspot for coronavirus in the UK, has “got the capacity now to deal with our needs” in terms of critical care beds. Speaking to BBC Breakfast from his home, Khan said: “A few weeks ago we started planning for the worst, which is a peak where we would need in London around 8,000 intensive care unit beds. | • The London mayor, Sadiq Khan, has said the city, which is a hotspot for coronavirus in the UK, has “got the capacity now to deal with our needs” in terms of critical care beds. Speaking to BBC Breakfast from his home, Khan said: “A few weeks ago we started planning for the worst, which is a peak where we would need in London around 8,000 intensive care unit beds. |
| • A new coronavirus testing laboratory is to be set up at Cambridge University to help meet the government’s target of 100,000 tests a day. The university is collaborating with pharmaceutical giants AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline on the facility at the university’s Anne McLaren laboratory. | • A new coronavirus testing laboratory is to be set up at Cambridge University to help meet the government’s target of 100,000 tests a day. The university is collaborating with pharmaceutical giants AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline on the facility at the university’s Anne McLaren laboratory. |
| • The health minister Edward Argar has said he does not know when the government’s lockdown restrictions will be lifted, adding that “we’re not there yet”. | • The health minister Edward Argar has said he does not know when the government’s lockdown restrictions will be lifted, adding that “we’re not there yet”. |
| • Tesco has said that “significant panic-buying” in recent weeks cleared its supply chain of certain items as sales jumped by 30%. The supermarket giant said supply has now stabilised across the group as it reported its latest annual figures. Bosses at the retailer said surging demand resulted in the sale of six million tins of baked beans, 3.3 million tins of tomatoes and 3.6 million packs of toilet roll each week as stockpiling increased. | • Tesco has said that “significant panic-buying” in recent weeks cleared its supply chain of certain items as sales jumped by 30%. The supermarket giant said supply has now stabilised across the group as it reported its latest annual figures. Bosses at the retailer said surging demand resulted in the sale of six million tins of baked beans, 3.3 million tins of tomatoes and 3.6 million packs of toilet roll each week as stockpiling increased. |
| More than 100 medics in Scotland have signed a letter to the Scottish Government to express concerns over personal protective equipment (PPE). The letter is reported to claim frontline staff are risking their lives dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak because they do not have suitable aprons, masks and eyewear, according to BBC Scotland. The broadcaster reports the medical professionals state they have “grave concerns about the adequacy of what has been given”. Dr Shahzad Hanif, a GP, co-ordinated the open letter. Speaking on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme, he said: “It’s not just the quantity of PPE, which the Government has so far been focused on, but it’s the quality that we feel is simply not adequate to provide enough protection for us.” | More than 100 medics in Scotland have signed a letter to the Scottish Government to express concerns over personal protective equipment (PPE). The letter is reported to claim frontline staff are risking their lives dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak because they do not have suitable aprons, masks and eyewear, according to BBC Scotland. The broadcaster reports the medical professionals state they have “grave concerns about the adequacy of what has been given”. Dr Shahzad Hanif, a GP, co-ordinated the open letter. Speaking on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme, he said: “It’s not just the quantity of PPE, which the Government has so far been focused on, but it’s the quality that we feel is simply not adequate to provide enough protection for us.” |
| I am moving into my last half an hour on the blog, before I will hand over to a colleague. Please do share any last-minute bits of information or news tips with me. | I am moving into my last half an hour on the blog, before I will hand over to a colleague. Please do share any last-minute bits of information or news tips with me. |
| Twitter: @sloumarshInstagram: sarah_marsh_journalistEmail: sarah.marsh@theguardian.com | Twitter: @sloumarshInstagram: sarah_marsh_journalistEmail: sarah.marsh@theguardian.com |
| Here is a selection of newspaper front pages in the UK today. From the Guardian reporting on power vacuum fears as Boris Johnson remains in intensive care, to the Times on Britain sending a message of hope to Johnson. | Here is a selection of newspaper front pages in the UK today. From the Guardian reporting on power vacuum fears as Boris Johnson remains in intensive care, to the Times on Britain sending a message of hope to Johnson. |
| Sadiq Khan on BBC Breakfast says that Tottenham Hotspur should lead by example after images showed players training during lockdown. He said: “Ask yourself the question, is what I am doing really necessary [training]? ... What you are doing is inadvertently spreading the virus and you should not be doing that.” | Sadiq Khan on BBC Breakfast says that Tottenham Hotspur should lead by example after images showed players training during lockdown. He said: “Ask yourself the question, is what I am doing really necessary [training]? ... What you are doing is inadvertently spreading the virus and you should not be doing that.” |
| Tesco has said that “significant panic-buying” in recent weeks cleared its supply chain of certain items as sales jumped by 30%. The supermarket giant said supply has now stabilised across the group as it reported its latest annual figures. Bosses at the retailer said surging demand resulted in the sale of six million tins of baked beans, 3.3 million tins of tomatoes and 3.6 million packs of toilet roll each week as stockpiling increased. It said 10% of shoppers bought 30% of products while it also reported stockpiling was most prevalent in the south-east of England. It added that the company has recruited 45,000 more staff members in the past two weeks in a bid to cope with soaring demand. Numerous workers have been recruited as drivers and pickers to help expand its delivery business. Dave Lewis, the chief executive of Tesco, stressed that ensuring deliveries can be made to the most vulnerable customers is a “live issue”, with the government providing the supermarket with an initial list of 110,000 people to reach out to. Lewis said: “Covid-19 has shown how critical the food supply chain is to the UK and I’m very proud of the way Tesco, as indeed the whole UK food industry, has stepped forward. “Initial panic-buying has subsided and service levels are returning to normal. “There are significant extra costs in feeding the nation at the moment but these are partially offset by the UK business rates relief. “Tesco is a business that rises to a challenge and this will be no different.” | Tesco has said that “significant panic-buying” in recent weeks cleared its supply chain of certain items as sales jumped by 30%. The supermarket giant said supply has now stabilised across the group as it reported its latest annual figures. Bosses at the retailer said surging demand resulted in the sale of six million tins of baked beans, 3.3 million tins of tomatoes and 3.6 million packs of toilet roll each week as stockpiling increased. It said 10% of shoppers bought 30% of products while it also reported stockpiling was most prevalent in the south-east of England. It added that the company has recruited 45,000 more staff members in the past two weeks in a bid to cope with soaring demand. Numerous workers have been recruited as drivers and pickers to help expand its delivery business. Dave Lewis, the chief executive of Tesco, stressed that ensuring deliveries can be made to the most vulnerable customers is a “live issue”, with the government providing the supermarket with an initial list of 110,000 people to reach out to. Lewis said: “Covid-19 has shown how critical the food supply chain is to the UK and I’m very proud of the way Tesco, as indeed the whole UK food industry, has stepped forward. “Initial panic-buying has subsided and service levels are returning to normal. “There are significant extra costs in feeding the nation at the moment but these are partially offset by the UK business rates relief. “Tesco is a business that rises to a challenge and this will be no different.” |
| World-leading disease data analysts have projected that the UK will become the country worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic in Europe, accounting for more than 40% of total deaths across the continent. | World-leading disease data analysts have projected that the UK will become the country worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic in Europe, accounting for more than 40% of total deaths across the continent. |
| The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) in Seattle predicts 66,000 UK deaths from Covid-19 by August, with a peak of nearly 3,000 a day, based on a steep climb in daily deaths early in the outbreak. | The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) in Seattle predicts 66,000 UK deaths from Covid-19 by August, with a peak of nearly 3,000 a day, based on a steep climb in daily deaths early in the outbreak. |