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| UK coronavirus live: Scottish government advises people to cover faces in buses, trains and some shops | UK coronavirus live: Scottish government advises people to cover faces in buses, trains and some shops |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Deaths rise in England, Scotland and Wales, minute’s silence held for key workers; more than 4,300 people in care homes die in two weeks; Hancock refuses to apologise to dead doctor’s son | Deaths rise in England, Scotland and Wales, minute’s silence held for key workers; more than 4,300 people in care homes die in two weeks; Hancock refuses to apologise to dead doctor’s son |
| The Scottish government is offering £10m to allow councils to introduce new “pop up” wider pavements and cycle paths to improve physical distancing and protect pedestrians, joggers and cyclists from motorists. | |
| Michael Matheson, the Scottish transport secretary, told MSPs on Tuesday the funding would allow councils to quickly install new and widened features without needing to find additional spending from their own budgets. Cycling is believed to have increased by 35% during the lockdown. | |
| The cash for the new “spaces for people” initiative has been diverted from the devolved government’s Places for Everyone active travel budget, Matheson said. | |
| Addressing the Scottish parliament during its once-a-week session, he said: | |
| The Scottish Greens and Liberal Democrats, as well as cycling campaigners, have been pressing for extra help to protect and support pedestrians and cyclists during the lockdown; walking, cycling and jogging has increased dramatically with most of the population working from home or furloughed. | |
| There are fears, however, that as people returning to work and car-use increases, there are greater risks of accidents as pedestrians and joggers continue social-distancing on pavements, stepping out onto roads. Cycling campaigners welcomed the initiative, asking councils to quickly install new infrastructure. | |
| Matt Hancock was wrong to state earlier that some children have died from the new set of serious symptoms that resemble toxic shock syndrome and is closely linked to Covid-19, it has emerged. | |
| When asked about the condition on LBC radio this morning the health secretary said: “We have lost some children.” However, he was referring to children dying from Covid-19 and not from this new inflammatory syndrome, which is confounding and worrying doctors. | |
| The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has now clarified that Hancock did not mean to suggest that any children had lost their lives as a result of the new set of symptoms, which include intense stomach pain, gastrointestinal problems and an inflamed heart. | |
| A source at the DHSC said: | |
| His comments were widely reported in the media, including in this liveblog. | |
| The existence of the syndrome first emerged on Monday. NHS England issued an urgent alert to doctors at the weekend asking them to immediately refer to hospital any under-18s displaying the key symptoms, which the Health Service Journal obtained. | |
| The Guardian understands that 19 cases have been found in London and other parts of the UK and that many of those affected are being treated at Great Ormond Street hospital for sick children in the capital. | |
| On LBC Hancock said he was “very worried” about reports of the new illness in children, most – and possibly – of whom have had Covid-19. Medical experts are “looking into it with great urgency”, he added. | |
| “We’re doing a lot of research now but it is something we’re worried about. What I would also stress is that it is rare. | |
| “Although it is very significant for those children who do get it the number of cases is small,” Hancock added. | |
| The former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown has challenged Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to recognise the “deadly urgency” of joining a global push to help poor countries combat Covid-19 and warned the world’s two biggest economies that go-it-alone strategies will end in failure, our colleague Larry Elliott reports. | |
| Turning back to today’s ONS weekly death figures, Chris Giles and Gill Plimmer in the Financial Times (paywall) say the new figures support their own modelling suggesting that by last week more than 41,000 people in the UK had died either directly or indirectly from coronavirus. The total is now likely to be in excess of 45,000, they say. | |
| That is more than double the daily headline figure announced by the UK government, which only covers deaths in hospital of people who have tested positive for coronavirus. Yesterday it was 21,092. | |
| Here is an extract from the Giles/Plimmer analysis. | |
| Earlier Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, told MPs that Nervtag, the new and emerging respiratory virus threats advisory group, was responsible for advising the government on what should be held in its stockpile of PPE (personal protective equipment) needed for a pandemic. (See 1.44pm.) | Earlier Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, told MPs that Nervtag, the new and emerging respiratory virus threats advisory group, was responsible for advising the government on what should be held in its stockpile of PPE (personal protective equipment) needed for a pandemic. (See 1.44pm.) |
| But, according to a BBC investigation for Panorama, Nervtag advised the purchase of gowns last June, and yet this recommendation was ignored. | But, according to a BBC investigation for Panorama, Nervtag advised the purchase of gowns last June, and yet this recommendation was ignored. |
| (I’m grateful to njf1953 in the comments for flagging this up.) | (I’m grateful to njf1953 in the comments for flagging this up.) |
| On BBC Radio 4’s the World at One, Prof Sir David Spiegelhalter, a statistician at the University of Cambridge, has said he believes more coronavirus deaths are now occurring in care homes and at home than in hospitals. He told the programme: | On BBC Radio 4’s the World at One, Prof Sir David Spiegelhalter, a statistician at the University of Cambridge, has said he believes more coronavirus deaths are now occurring in care homes and at home than in hospitals. He told the programme: |
| NHS England has announced 546 more deaths of patients who tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 19,295. The full details are here (pdf). | NHS England has announced 546 more deaths of patients who tested positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 19,295. The full details are here (pdf). |
| Of the 546 new deaths announced today: | Of the 546 new deaths announced today: |
| 93 occurred on 27 April | 93 occurred on 27 April |
| 213 occurred on 26 April | 213 occurred on 26 April |
| 79 occurred on 25 April | 79 occurred on 25 April |
| The figures also show 141 of the new deaths took place between 1-24 April while the remaining 20 deaths occurred in March, with the earliest new death taking place on 19 March. | The figures also show 141 of the new deaths took place between 1-24 April while the remaining 20 deaths occurred in March, with the earliest new death taking place on 19 March. |
| NHS England releases updated figures each day showing the dates of every coronavirus-related death in hospitals in England, often including previously uncounted deaths that took place several days or even weeks ago. This is because of the time it takes for deaths to be confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19, for postmortems to be processed and for data from the tests to be validated. | NHS England releases updated figures each day showing the dates of every coronavirus-related death in hospitals in England, often including previously uncounted deaths that took place several days or even weeks ago. This is because of the time it takes for deaths to be confirmed as testing positive for Covid-19, for postmortems to be processed and for data from the tests to be validated. |
| The figures published by NHS England show 8 April continues to have the highest number for the most hospital deaths occurring on a single day, with a current total of 857. | The figures published by NHS England show 8 April continues to have the highest number for the most hospital deaths occurring on a single day, with a current total of 857. |
| From Scotland’s first minister: | From Scotland’s first minister: |
| Following the Scottish government’s recommendation that people should wear face coverings in “limited circumstances” where physical distancing isn’t always possible (see 12.58), the Welsh health minister, Vaughan Gething, said formal guidance was not yet being issued in Wales. | Following the Scottish government’s recommendation that people should wear face coverings in “limited circumstances” where physical distancing isn’t always possible (see 12.58), the Welsh health minister, Vaughan Gething, said formal guidance was not yet being issued in Wales. |
| He said there was “no evidence” that it was harmful for members of the public to wear a form of face covering or scarf, adding: | He said there was “no evidence” that it was harmful for members of the public to wear a form of face covering or scarf, adding: |
| Gething said he wanted to see details of the Scottish government’s recommendation and speak to Wales’s chief medical officer before “making a definitive comment about the position in Wales”. | Gething said he wanted to see details of the Scottish government’s recommendation and speak to Wales’s chief medical officer before “making a definitive comment about the position in Wales”. |
| Britons do not believe the economy and businesses should open if coronavirus is not fully contained, according to a new study. | Britons do not believe the economy and businesses should open if coronavirus is not fully contained, according to a new study. |
| In an Ipsos Mori poll of more than 28,000 people in 14 countries, Britons were the least likely to believe restarting the economy was the right approach as ministers face continued questions over the UK’s plan for lifting its coronavirus lockdown. | In an Ipsos Mori poll of more than 28,000 people in 14 countries, Britons were the least likely to believe restarting the economy was the right approach as ministers face continued questions over the UK’s plan for lifting its coronavirus lockdown. |
| Britons had the strongest views against opening up the economy if the virus is not fully under control, with 70% of those surveyed saying they felt this way. | Britons had the strongest views against opening up the economy if the virus is not fully under control, with 70% of those surveyed saying they felt this way. |
| It comes as a number of British businesses have said they are set to start opening despite the lockdown. High street bakery chain Greggs has told staff it plans to open 20 stores in the Newcastle area from 4 May as part of a “controlled trial”. And firms such as B&Q have reopened their doors to shoppers, while John Lewis has said it hopes to reopen all its shops next month. Burger King, KFC and Pret have also announced they are to reopen some stores for takeaway and delivery. | It comes as a number of British businesses have said they are set to start opening despite the lockdown. High street bakery chain Greggs has told staff it plans to open 20 stores in the Newcastle area from 4 May as part of a “controlled trial”. And firms such as B&Q have reopened their doors to shoppers, while John Lewis has said it hopes to reopen all its shops next month. Burger King, KFC and Pret have also announced they are to reopen some stores for takeaway and delivery. |
| The researchers also found that Britons were “the most cautious” about reopening the economy, with 71% saying they will be nervous about leaving the house after the lockdown eases. | The researchers also found that Britons were “the most cautious” about reopening the economy, with 71% saying they will be nervous about leaving the house after the lockdown eases. |
| Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos Mori, said these factors “suggest that the turnaround in the economy might not be quite so fast as hoped for”. | Gideon Skinner, head of political research at Ipsos Mori, said these factors “suggest that the turnaround in the economy might not be quite so fast as hoped for”. |
| The prime minister Boris Johnson said lockdown will only be eased if the country can meet five tests: falling death figures, a protected NHS, a reduced rate of infection, sufficient testing and PPE, and avoiding a second peak. The next three-week review of the lockdown restrictions is due on 7 May. | The prime minister Boris Johnson said lockdown will only be eased if the country can meet five tests: falling death figures, a protected NHS, a reduced rate of infection, sufficient testing and PPE, and avoiding a second peak. The next three-week review of the lockdown restrictions is due on 7 May. |
| Another 17 people have died after testing positive for Covid-19 in Wales, Public Health Wales said, taking the death toll there to 813. | Another 17 people have died after testing positive for Covid-19 in Wales, Public Health Wales said, taking the death toll there to 813. |
| And there were 232 new cases reported, bringing the total number of cases to 9,512. | And there were 232 new cases reported, bringing the total number of cases to 9,512. |
| The Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething told a press conference there had been “challenges in communication” between Betsi Cadwaladr health board and Public Health Wales, and there had also been a “material under-reporting issue” in the Hywel Dda health board area, where 31 deaths were not reported and did not appear in Public Health Wales figures. | The Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething told a press conference there had been “challenges in communication” between Betsi Cadwaladr health board and Public Health Wales, and there had also been a “material under-reporting issue” in the Hywel Dda health board area, where 31 deaths were not reported and did not appear in Public Health Wales figures. |
| Gething said “individual family communication” had not been affected, with those who had lost loved ones informed of the deaths at the time, and that figures would now be “fully up to date”. | Gething said “individual family communication” had not been affected, with those who had lost loved ones informed of the deaths at the time, and that figures would now be “fully up to date”. |
| The coronavirus outbreak has changed all of our lives in ways that are profound and often overwhelming. Amid the endless headlines, rolling news coverage and constant stream of information about the virus, how much have you taken in? Here is a quiz from the Guardian’s Martin Belam, designed to test your knowledge of Covid-19 and refresh your memory on the facts. | The coronavirus outbreak has changed all of our lives in ways that are profound and often overwhelming. Amid the endless headlines, rolling news coverage and constant stream of information about the virus, how much have you taken in? Here is a quiz from the Guardian’s Martin Belam, designed to test your knowledge of Covid-19 and refresh your memory on the facts. |
| In the House of Commons, in response to a question from the SNP’s Pete Wishart, the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove suggested that the government’s scientific advisers bore some responsibility for the shortage of PPE (personal protective equipment). | In the House of Commons, in response to a question from the SNP’s Pete Wishart, the Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove suggested that the government’s scientific advisers bore some responsibility for the shortage of PPE (personal protective equipment). |
| Asked by Wishart to acknowledge that the government had not stockpiled enough in advance, Gove said: | Asked by Wishart to acknowledge that the government had not stockpiled enough in advance, Gove said: |
| This exchange can be viewed as an early dry run for the debate that is going to be central to what is now seen as the inevitable public inquiry that will take place into how the government handled the pandemic. | This exchange can be viewed as an early dry run for the debate that is going to be central to what is now seen as the inevitable public inquiry that will take place into how the government handled the pandemic. |