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| Coronavirus UK live: Boris Johnson still in hospital as public urged to stay home for Easter | Coronavirus UK live: Boris Johnson still in hospital as public urged to stay home for Easter |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Robert Jenrick faces questions; PM out of intensive care; FCO charters 12 flights to bring stranded nationals back from India | Robert Jenrick faces questions; PM out of intensive care; FCO charters 12 flights to bring stranded nationals back from India |
| The leaders of the UK’s head teachers unions have told the Department for Education they hope schools in England can reopen even for as little as two weeks before the summer holidays, if scientific advice allows.The leaders of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) told Schools Week that the DfE had shown interest in the idea of pupils having a limited return before the end of July, rather than waiting until the new school year starts in September.Geoff Barton, general secretary of ASCL, said it would be “incredibly cathartic” if schools could reopen, and helpful for pupils preparing to move from primary to secondary school. But he cautioned: | |
| Paul Whitehead of NAHT said: | |
| The DfE’s position is that schools in England remain closed “until further notice” except for defined groups, and the governments in Wales and Scotland have explicitly ruled out schools reopening in the near term. | |
| A boutique hotel in Edinburgh run by one of the world’s oldest medical bodies says it has now donated more than 1,000 nights of free accommodation to health workers involved in combating the coronavirus. | |
| The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd), which traces its origins to 1505 and now trains and accredits surgeons from across the world, opened its hotel Ten Hill Place next to its headquarters, Surgeon’s Hall, in 2005 to raise funds. | |
| It said the hotel has made 129 bedrooms available for hospital staff, with packed continental breakfasts and free evening meals, to reduce their need to commute and help medical staff avoid other vulnerable family members in isolation. | |
| It is also in talks with Scotland’s interim chief medical officer, Dr Gregor Smith, about converting the hotel into temporary hospital accommodation if the city’s hospitals overflow. | |
| Prof Michael Griffin, the president of the RSCEd, said: | |
| Fewer than one in five healthcare workers who suspected they had coronavirus actually tested positive for the disease, according to one of the first published UK studies of mass testing on NHS workers. | |
| Scientists from Sheffield, which started testing all symptomatic healthcare workers a fortnight before much of the rest of the UK, have published research showing that 81% of staff reporting symptoms tested negative. | |
| Some 1,533 staff were tested over the two weeks from 17 March. Of these, just 282 (18%) tested positive. Five (< 1%) had an indeterminate result. | |
| More than a third of staff had completed at least one shift while symptomatic. | |
| Twenty-five were nursing staff, eight were doctors, nine were other patient-facing clinical staff, nine were laboratory or secretarial staff and one worked in cleaning services. | |
| On 17 March, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (STH) started testing any staff who were complaining of an “influenza-like illness”. This was defined as anyone with a reported fever and one of: cough, sore throat, runny nose, myalgia, headache. | |
| They were directed to self-swab in the on-site assessment pods and given written and pictorial instructions to show how to do it correctly. | |
| Four times a day the swabs were transported to the laboratory at the Northern General Hospital, where they were tested. | |
| The majority of test results were communicated to staff on the same or the next day. Staff with a negative test were able to return to work if they felt well enough to do so. | |
| Concluding their study, the Sheffield scientists said: | |
| They added: | |
| Earlier on in the UK’s Coronavirus crisis, Sheffield was one of the local authorities with the highest number of cases – a fact local virologists attributed to Sheffield testing more people, earlier, than almost anywhere else. | |
| On 1 April, a consultant virologist in the city claimed Sheffield was carrying out 10% of all tests in the UK. | |
| The public have been warned they are more likely to see police officers in masks and gloves in certain situations during the pandemic where there is considered to be a risk of transmission. | |
| Police chiefs said officers can wear fluid-resistant masks and gloves when sat in cars or vans with colleagues or when they can not keep 2 metres away from members of the public. The guidance said: | |
| John Apter, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said the public should not be concerned if they, on occasions, see police officers wearing PPE: | |
| The guidance was issued by the National Police Chiefs Council and College of Policing. Officers are told they should fully protect themselves if dealing with someone infected with the virus and to maintain social distancing. | |
| Chief constable Andy Rhodes, the NPCC wellbeing lead, said: | |
| There are “heartbreaking” cases of employees being made redundant after being denied help from the government’s job retention scheme, Citizens Advice has said, fearing the government’s “bold” action to protect workers during the pandemic could be undermined by confusion and “patchy use” of the scheme by some employers. | There are “heartbreaking” cases of employees being made redundant after being denied help from the government’s job retention scheme, Citizens Advice has said, fearing the government’s “bold” action to protect workers during the pandemic could be undermined by confusion and “patchy use” of the scheme by some employers. |
| The charity said advisers are seeing daily cases of people who are at risk of slipping through the safety net despite potentially being entitled to support. | The charity said advisers are seeing daily cases of people who are at risk of slipping through the safety net despite potentially being entitled to support. |
| New research by the charity shows around six million people in the UK (18% of the workforce) have had their hours cut, been laid off or made redundant. | New research by the charity shows around six million people in the UK (18% of the workforce) have had their hours cut, been laid off or made redundant. |
| Almost four out of 10 (38%) have lost household income because of the crisis, with nearly one in 12 (8%) losing 80% of household income. | Almost four out of 10 (38%) have lost household income because of the crisis, with nearly one in 12 (8%) losing 80% of household income. |
| Demand for its redundancy advice has doubled, with its web page titled “what to do if your employer has told you not to work” being the most-read page this month with more than 175,000 views. | Demand for its redundancy advice has doubled, with its web page titled “what to do if your employer has told you not to work” being the most-read page this month with more than 175,000 views. |
| The charity highlighted the case of a father-of-four called Mark who returned to work as an HGV driver in February, after spending eight months caring for his daughter who is undergoing treatment for a rare cancer. | The charity highlighted the case of a father-of-four called Mark who returned to work as an HGV driver in February, after spending eight months caring for his daughter who is undergoing treatment for a rare cancer. |
| In March, the family were told they needed to self-isolate as his daughter is one of the 1.5m who must be shielded. Mark was made redundant the next day as he could not return to work. He said: | In March, the family were told they needed to self-isolate as his daughter is one of the 1.5m who must be shielded. Mark was made redundant the next day as he could not return to work. He said: |
| Dame Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: | Dame Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: |
| Costume staff from the English National Opera have turned their skills to making scrubs for medics on the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic.On their GoFundMe page, organiser Sarah Bowern explains: | Costume staff from the English National Opera have turned their skills to making scrubs for medics on the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic.On their GoFundMe page, organiser Sarah Bowern explains: |
| The costume team for the BBC drama His Dark Materials have also so far raised more than £41,000 to help dress medics and released their first scrubs this week. | The costume team for the BBC drama His Dark Materials have also so far raised more than £41,000 to help dress medics and released their first scrubs this week. |
| The team behind the campaign also worked on Downton Abbey and have been backed by actor Hugh Bonneville who tweeted: | The team behind the campaign also worked on Downton Abbey and have been backed by actor Hugh Bonneville who tweeted: |
| The legendary Manchester nightclub, the Hacienda, which closed down in 1997, is hosting a stay at home rave tomorrow to help keep people entertained and encourage them not to venture out over the Easter weekend. | The legendary Manchester nightclub, the Hacienda, which closed down in 1997, is hosting a stay at home rave tomorrow to help keep people entertained and encourage them not to venture out over the Easter weekend. |
| The line-up includes former Hacienda resident DJs Graeme Park, Jon DaSilva and Tom Wainwright, as well as US house music legends Todd Terry, David Morales and Roger Sanchez. The event, which begins at noon and finishes at midnight, can be watched online here. | |
| Morrisons Foundation, the charitable arm of Morrisons supermarket, has set aside a fund of £500,000 over the next three months to help charities offer additional protection, services and support to the homeless as a result of Covid-19. | Morrisons Foundation, the charitable arm of Morrisons supermarket, has set aside a fund of £500,000 over the next three months to help charities offer additional protection, services and support to the homeless as a result of Covid-19. |
| Rough sleepers have been identified as one of the most at-risk groups, as they are more likely to have underlying health conditions and are less able to access basic sanitation. | |
| Charities can apply online for grants of up to £10,000. Charities will be able to apply for financial help to support rough sleepers, which includes supplying food and healthcare essentials. It also covers the delivery of services in hostels and shelters, including the payment for additional staff, purchase of PPE equipment and the provision of emergency accommodation. The fund will also allow charities to provide information and advice regarding health and wellbeing services and helplines. | Charities can apply online for grants of up to £10,000. Charities will be able to apply for financial help to support rough sleepers, which includes supplying food and healthcare essentials. It also covers the delivery of services in hostels and shelters, including the payment for additional staff, purchase of PPE equipment and the provision of emergency accommodation. The fund will also allow charities to provide information and advice regarding health and wellbeing services and helplines. |
| David Potts, the chief executive of Morrisons, said: | |
| Nick Connolly, the managing director of End Youth Homelessness, said: | |
| Further to our earlier post, Cambridgeshire police have posted another statement on Twitter to clarify that officers “are not monitoring what people are buying from supermarkets”. | |
| It said an earlier tweet (now deleted) had been made by an “over exuberant officer”. It caused a stir online after it seemed to suggest officers had checked “the non essential aisles were empty” in a local Tesco. | |
| The force tweeted: | The force tweeted: |
| The initial tweet had come just a day after the chief constable of Northamptonshire Police, Nick Adderley, was criticised for the controversial suggestion that officers could start searching shopping trolleys if people kept flouting social distancing rules. | The initial tweet had come just a day after the chief constable of Northamptonshire Police, Nick Adderley, was criticised for the controversial suggestion that officers could start searching shopping trolleys if people kept flouting social distancing rules. |
| Adderley has since said his use of language was “clumsy” after being criticised for his remarks, including by the home secretary Priti Patel who said they were “not appropriate”. | Adderley has since said his use of language was “clumsy” after being criticised for his remarks, including by the home secretary Priti Patel who said they were “not appropriate”. |
| The shadow home secretary has urged the cabinet minister Robert Jenrick to fully explain himself after the Guardian revealed he had travelled more than an hour away to visit his parents at the weekend – despite warning others to stay at home during the coronavirus lockdown. | The shadow home secretary has urged the cabinet minister Robert Jenrick to fully explain himself after the Guardian revealed he had travelled more than an hour away to visit his parents at the weekend – despite warning others to stay at home during the coronavirus lockdown. |
| The communities secretary – who has made media appearances urging people to save lives by remaining in their properties even if tempted to see loved ones – went to see his parents at their Shropshire home, 40 miles by road from his own. | The communities secretary – who has made media appearances urging people to save lives by remaining in their properties even if tempted to see loved ones – went to see his parents at their Shropshire home, 40 miles by road from his own. |
| It also emerged that Jenrick travelled 150 miles from his London property, where he stayed at the start of the lockdown, to his £1.2m Herefordshire home from where he travelled to his parents. His website says he lives with his family near Newark, his constituency in Nottingham, and London. | It also emerged that Jenrick travelled 150 miles from his London property, where he stayed at the start of the lockdown, to his £1.2m Herefordshire home from where he travelled to his parents. His website says he lives with his family near Newark, his constituency in Nottingham, and London. |
| Asked whether he thought Jenrick was ignoring the government’s stay at home advice, Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: | Asked whether he thought Jenrick was ignoring the government’s stay at home advice, Nick Thomas-Symonds, the shadow home secretary, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: |
| The full story is here. | The full story is here. |
| A doctors’ leader has insisted that GPs will visit elderly residents of care homes during the coronavirus outbreak after complaints that doctors were refusing to attend sick patients in residential care. | A doctors’ leader has insisted that GPs will visit elderly residents of care homes during the coronavirus outbreak after complaints that doctors were refusing to attend sick patients in residential care. |
| Dozens of elderly residents, many of whom have underlying health problems and dementia, have died in Scottish care homes or fallen ill with Corvid-19, including several large clusters. Care England, the industry body, estimates up to 1,000 people have died in English care homes but have not been officially counted. | Dozens of elderly residents, many of whom have underlying health problems and dementia, have died in Scottish care homes or fallen ill with Corvid-19, including several large clusters. Care England, the industry body, estimates up to 1,000 people have died in English care homes but have not been officially counted. |
| The older’s people’s charity Age Scotland, said earlier this week it knew of cases where GPs were failing to visit care homes and insisting on doing telephone consultations or referring people to an NHS helpline. | The older’s people’s charity Age Scotland, said earlier this week it knew of cases where GPs were failing to visit care homes and insisting on doing telephone consultations or referring people to an NHS helpline. |
| The Royal College of GPs issued a joint statement with Scottish Care, the umbrella body for care homes, on Friday to insist GPs would visit patients where necessary but confirmed the pandemic had led to a significant shift towards telephone and video consultations. | The Royal College of GPs issued a joint statement with Scottish Care, the umbrella body for care homes, on Friday to insist GPs would visit patients where necessary but confirmed the pandemic had led to a significant shift towards telephone and video consultations. |
| Dr Carey Lunan, the chair of RCGP Scotland, and Prof Donald Macaskill of Scottish Care said the situation was worsened by a shortage of personal protective equipment; they and the Royal College of Nursing had written to the Scottish government last week to complain. | Dr Carey Lunan, the chair of RCGP Scotland, and Prof Donald Macaskill of Scottish Care said the situation was worsened by a shortage of personal protective equipment; they and the Royal College of Nursing had written to the Scottish government last week to complain. |
| Lunan and Macaskill said they knew it was “an incredibly worrying time” for residents and their families. | Lunan and Macaskill said they knew it was “an incredibly worrying time” for residents and their families. |
| It seems Cambridgeshire police have raised some eyebrows on social media with the news that officers attended Tesco in the village of Bar Hill this morning and checked “non-essential aisles”. Judging by comments on the post on Twitter, this has left many confused over what constitutes (and who determines what constitutes) a “non-essential” aisle or item. | It seems Cambridgeshire police have raised some eyebrows on social media with the news that officers attended Tesco in the village of Bar Hill this morning and checked “non-essential aisles”. Judging by comments on the post on Twitter, this has left many confused over what constitutes (and who determines what constitutes) a “non-essential” aisle or item. |
| Officers have been patrolling supermarkets this morning, just a day after a chief constable was criticised for suggesting officers could search shopping trolleys if people kept flouting social distancing rules. | Officers have been patrolling supermarkets this morning, just a day after a chief constable was criticised for suggesting officers could search shopping trolleys if people kept flouting social distancing rules. |
| The Northamptonshire police chief constable, Nick Adderley, has since said his use of language was “clumsy” after being criticised for his remarks, including by the home secretary, Priti Patel, who said they were “not appropriate”. | The Northamptonshire police chief constable, Nick Adderley, has since said his use of language was “clumsy” after being criticised for his remarks, including by the home secretary, Priti Patel, who said they were “not appropriate”. |
| The tweet by the force’s Cambridge team said: | The tweet by the force’s Cambridge team said: |
| Meanwhile, on Thursday evening, Cambridgeshire police issued thanks to a local chocolatier for an essential (?) delivery... | Meanwhile, on Thursday evening, Cambridgeshire police issued thanks to a local chocolatier for an essential (?) delivery... |
| A 460-bed Nightingale hospital for the north-east is to be built in Washington, Tyne and Wear, the Conservative MP Richard Holden has said. | A 460-bed Nightingale hospital for the north-east is to be built in Washington, Tyne and Wear, the Conservative MP Richard Holden has said. |
| It is being built with the help of the army at the International Advanced Manufacturing Park in a unit that is bigger than a football pitch, and will be divided into 16 wards, which will take coronavirus patients if units in the region cannot cope with demand. | It is being built with the help of the army at the International Advanced Manufacturing Park in a unit that is bigger than a football pitch, and will be divided into 16 wards, which will take coronavirus patients if units in the region cannot cope with demand. |
| The MP for North West Durham tweeted: | The MP for North West Durham tweeted: |
| A similar development for the south-west is being created at the Westpoint Arena in Exeter, according to reports. | A similar development for the south-west is being created at the Westpoint Arena in Exeter, according to reports. |
| The NHS has already set up temporary hospitals in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Harrogate. | The NHS has already set up temporary hospitals in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Harrogate. |