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| UK coronavirus live: Grant Shapps 'optimistic' about bailout for TfL; quarter of hospital victims diabetic | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Official UK death toll rises by 428 to 33,614; cost of furlough scheme estimated to reach £83bn by October; transport secretary announces £1.7bn fund to improve transport infrastructure | Official UK death toll rises by 428 to 33,614; cost of furlough scheme estimated to reach £83bn by October; transport secretary announces £1.7bn fund to improve transport infrastructure |
| Here are the main points from Grant Shapps’ press conference. | |
| Shapps, the transport secretary, signalled that fares would have to rise in London as part of the bailout being organised for TfL. He says he was “optimistic” at reaching a deal with TfL (Transport for London) and the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, who has said he will have to cut services unless he gets more funding. Shapps said he was “confident” that the trains and buses in the capital would continue to run. But, asked if he expected fares to have to go up, he signalled that the four-year fare freeze that Khan has implemented since he became mayor in 2016 would have to end. Shapps said: | |
| Shapps claimed the “vast majority” of care homes had not had any coronavirus infections. He said: | |
| He said people had a “civic duty” to avoid public transport if possible during the coronavirus crisis. | |
| He announced a package worth nearly £2bn to improve roads and railways. | |
| He said 126,064 coronavirus tests were carried out yesterday - the highest daily total yet. | |
| Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, the deputy chief medical officer for England, played down prospects of competitive football matches returning in June. Asked if this would be possible, he replied: | |
| The private firm contracted to run the government’s stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE) was beset by “chaos” at its warehouse that may have resulted in delays in deploying vital supplies to healthcare workers, according to sources who have spoken to the Guardian and ITV News. | |
| The allegations from delivery drivers and other well–placed sources raise questions about whether Movianto, the subsidiary of a US healthcare giant, was able to adequately manage and distribute the nation’s emergency stockpile of PPE for use in a pandemic. | |
| The investigation by the Guardian and ITV News also established that in previous years Movianto temporarily stored the emergency pandemic equipment in a smoke-damaged warehouse that was found to contain asbestos. | |
| You can read the full story here - | |
| Police have said they will break up anti-lockdown protests advertised on social media for this weekend if necessary, amid warnings that the events could be exploited by the far right, reports Dan Sabbagh. | |
| Flyers for around 60 protests to be held in parks in cities such as Manchester, Leicester and Southampton have circulated online, produced by the little-known UK Freedom Movement which aims to say “no to the new normal and no to the unlawful lockdown”. | |
| A spokesperson for Greater Manchester police said: “We have patrol plans in place throughout the area to respond to these protests if required.” Similar comments have been made by several other forces. | |
| Rules on physical distancing mean no large-scale gatherings are permitted. People are allowed to meet just one other person from outside their household at a time, and must keep two metres apart. | |
| Shapps has now finished taking questions. | |
| He ends by saying it is important to stay alert. That means things like washing hands, staying two metres apart and self-isolating if you’re ill. | |
| And that’s it. | |
| Shapps says he spoke to his French opposite number last night. France is two or three weeks ahead of the UK. | |
| Q: Will holidays outside, like camping and caravanning, carry less risk than staying in a hotel? Will they reopen sooner? | Q: Will holidays outside, like camping and caravanning, carry less risk than staying in a hotel? Will they reopen sooner? |
| Shapps says outdoors is a lesser risk than indoors. | Shapps says outdoors is a lesser risk than indoors. |
| Van-Tam says outdoor environments are less risky. | Van-Tam says outdoor environments are less risky. |
| But a tent is a small, enclosed space with little ventilation. The same applies to a caravan. So this will take careful thought, he says. | But a tent is a small, enclosed space with little ventilation. The same applies to a caravan. So this will take careful thought, he says. |
| Shapps says more than half of people on the Isle of Wight have downloaded the contact tracing app. He says people coming into the UK will also be asked to download it. | Shapps says more than half of people on the Isle of Wight have downloaded the contact tracing app. He says people coming into the UK will also be asked to download it. |
| Q: I understand you are close to a rescue deal for Transport for London. But they need long-term help, if social distancing stays for years. Are you willing to help them long term? | Q: I understand you are close to a rescue deal for Transport for London. But they need long-term help, if social distancing stays for years. Are you willing to help them long term? |
| Shapps says the government has bailed out rail companies. He says he is “optimistic” of having a solution with TfL. | Shapps says the government has bailed out rail companies. He says he is “optimistic” of having a solution with TfL. |
| As for what would happen if this went on longer, he says they do not know. | As for what would happen if this went on longer, he says they do not know. |
| He says he is “confident” that the buses and trains in London will continue to run. He hopes the mayor will be able to put on more services. | He says he is “confident” that the buses and trains in London will continue to run. He hopes the mayor will be able to put on more services. |
| Q: Would you expect TfL to have to put up fares? | Q: Would you expect TfL to have to put up fares? |
| Shapps says it would be unfair if people outside the system were expected to lose out. He says you need to find the right balance. | Shapps says it would be unfair if people outside the system were expected to lose out. He says you need to find the right balance. |
| Q: Does it make sense to exclude France from quarantine measures? | Q: Does it make sense to exclude France from quarantine measures? |
| Van-Tam says discussions are still ongoing about a possible exemption for France. | Van-Tam says discussions are still ongoing about a possible exemption for France. |
| He says quarantine makes most sense when there is a low rate of inflation in the receiving country, and a high rate in the sending country. | He says quarantine makes most sense when there is a low rate of inflation in the receiving country, and a high rate in the sending country. |
| Q: Does the government know how many urgent operations were cancelled in March? Data was meant to be released today, but it was held back. | Q: Does the government know how many urgent operations were cancelled in March? Data was meant to be released today, but it was held back. |
| Shapps says he does not know. He says he thinks the data was not released today because of a prioritisation issue, but he says he will try to ensure that this information is released. | Shapps says he does not know. He says he thinks the data was not released today because of a prioritisation issue, but he says he will try to ensure that this information is released. |
| Q: Is the government doing an exclusive deal with Roche to get its tests? | Q: Is the government doing an exclusive deal with Roche to get its tests? |
| Shapps says they want to get as many tests as possible. | Shapps says they want to get as many tests as possible. |
| Van-Tam says, as a doctor, he is not privy to those commercial negotiations. | Van-Tam says, as a doctor, he is not privy to those commercial negotiations. |
| Q: The PM described antibody tests as game changing. Do you still see them like that? If so, when will people see the difference? | Q: The PM described antibody tests as game changing. Do you still see them like that? If so, when will people see the difference? |
| Shapps says the antibody test being approved is a very exciting development. | Shapps says the antibody test being approved is a very exciting development. |
| Van-Tam says he thinks the test will be rolled out as soon as is practical. | Van-Tam says he thinks the test will be rolled out as soon as is practical. |
| He says they needed a test that was highly specific; ie, extremely unlikely to give a false positive. Telling people they had antibodies when they didn’t would have been very undesirable, he says. | He says they needed a test that was highly specific; ie, extremely unlikely to give a false positive. Telling people they had antibodies when they didn’t would have been very undesirable, he says. |
| He says people have only been studying this virus for five months. In most cases there is an antibody response after infection. | He says people have only been studying this virus for five months. In most cases there is an antibody response after infection. |
| But it is going to take time to find out whether the antibodies protect against infection, he says. Hopefully they will. | But it is going to take time to find out whether the antibodies protect against infection, he says. Hopefully they will. |
| And if people are protected, they need to find out how long that protection lasts. He says you can only find this out over time. | And if people are protected, they need to find out how long that protection lasts. He says you can only find this out over time. |
| Q: There is growing anger in the care sector about the way they feel their needs are being ignored. When will this change? | Q: There is growing anger in the care sector about the way they feel their needs are being ignored. When will this change? |
| Shapps says care homes are specialists in infection control. In the majority of care homes coronavirus has not been reported. | Shapps says care homes are specialists in infection control. In the majority of care homes coronavirus has not been reported. |
| In other European countries more than half of deaths have been in care homes. That has not been the case in this country, he says. | In other European countries more than half of deaths have been in care homes. That has not been the case in this country, he says. |
| Q: In Scotland care home patients who have tested positive will need two negative tests before being allowed back. Will that apply in England? | Q: In Scotland care home patients who have tested positive will need two negative tests before being allowed back. Will that apply in England? |
| Shapps says that is one for the medical experts. | Shapps says that is one for the medical experts. |
| Van-Tam says there is an enormous effort to increase the number of tests in care homes. Patients are tested before being discharged to care homes. | Van-Tam says there is an enormous effort to increase the number of tests in care homes. Patients are tested before being discharged to care homes. |
| Q: Will the Premier League be able to return to competitive playing by 12 June? | Q: Will the Premier League be able to return to competitive playing by 12 June? |
| Van-Tam says the overall approach has been tentative, measured, slow and step-wise. That applies to the approach in football, and other elite sports. | Van-Tam says the overall approach has been tentative, measured, slow and step-wise. That applies to the approach in football, and other elite sports. |
| The first step is to return to safe training, while observing social distancing. Plans for that are underway. They will have to see how that goes before they can return to competitive matches. | The first step is to return to safe training, while observing social distancing. Plans for that are underway. They will have to see how that goes before they can return to competitive matches. |
| Shapps reads out a question from another member of the public. When will elective surgery recommence? | Shapps reads out a question from another member of the public. When will elective surgery recommence? |
| Shapps says the health secretary will say something about this soon. | Shapps says the health secretary will say something about this soon. |
| Van-Tam says the NHS wants to resume normal services as soon as is humanly possible. But this must be done in a safe way. | Van-Tam says the NHS wants to resume normal services as soon as is humanly possible. But this must be done in a safe way. |
| Shapps is now taking questions. | Shapps is now taking questions. |
| The first comes from a woman whose son is due to start his final year at university in the autumn. What is the government’s plan for students? | The first comes from a woman whose son is due to start his final year at university in the autumn. What is the government’s plan for students? |
| Shapps says he also has a child at university. He says Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, is looking at this and will make further announcements. Shapps says he would like to hear the answer too. | Shapps says he also has a child at university. He says Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, is looking at this and will make further announcements. Shapps says he would like to hear the answer too. |