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| For Boris Johnson, Parliament Is Becoming a House of Horrors | For Boris Johnson, Parliament Is Becoming a House of Horrors |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| LONDON — For Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain, debating in Parliament used to be a raucous affair, as backbenchers from his Conservative Party hollered and whooped, booing his rivals and cheering him on like a classmate in a schoolyard brawl. These days, to his evident chagrin, it is more like a legal deposition. | LONDON — For Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain, debating in Parliament used to be a raucous affair, as backbenchers from his Conservative Party hollered and whooped, booing his rivals and cheering him on like a classmate in a schoolyard brawl. These days, to his evident chagrin, it is more like a legal deposition. |
| Facing off in an empty, quiet chamber against the lawyer-turned-opposition leader, Keir Starmer, Mr. Johnson has had to endure a forensic weekly grilling on his handling of the coronavirus. Mr. Starmer, 57, has deployed all his courtroom skills against his freewheeling adversary, starting with a prosecutor’s technique of trapping the witness with a question to which you already know the answer. | Facing off in an empty, quiet chamber against the lawyer-turned-opposition leader, Keir Starmer, Mr. Johnson has had to endure a forensic weekly grilling on his handling of the coronavirus. Mr. Starmer, 57, has deployed all his courtroom skills against his freewheeling adversary, starting with a prosecutor’s technique of trapping the witness with a question to which you already know the answer. |
| “Can the prime minister tell us: How on earth did it come to this?” Mr. Starmer asked two weeks ago, after noting that Britain’s death toll was the highest in Europe and the second highest in the world, after the United States. | “Can the prime minister tell us: How on earth did it come to this?” Mr. Starmer asked two weeks ago, after noting that Britain’s death toll was the highest in Europe and the second highest in the world, after the United States. |
| Mr. Johnson replied that such direct country-to-country comparisons were not valid, and that the true human cost of the pandemic could only be judged after the fact, when one could comb through the statistics. | Mr. Johnson replied that such direct country-to-country comparisons were not valid, and that the true human cost of the pandemic could only be judged after the fact, when one could comb through the statistics. |
| Leaping out of his seat, Mr. Starmer waved a chart in which the government made exactly those comparisons and noted it had done so for weeks in its press briefings on the virus, when Britain’s death toll looked comparatively better. Mr. Johnson’s argument, he concluded, “just doesn’t really hold water.” | Leaping out of his seat, Mr. Starmer waved a chart in which the government made exactly those comparisons and noted it had done so for weeks in its press briefings on the virus, when Britain’s death toll looked comparatively better. Mr. Johnson’s argument, he concluded, “just doesn’t really hold water.” |
| Mr. Johnson returned to work from his bout with the virus to find his government still struggling to respond to the pandemic and a rejuvenated opposition. | Mr. Johnson returned to work from his bout with the virus to find his government still struggling to respond to the pandemic and a rejuvenated opposition. |
| The social distancing of Parliament means that most of the 650 members take part remotely, turning a gladiatorial arena, in which Mr. Johnson was once a big cat, into Mr. Starmer’s courtroom. | The social distancing of Parliament means that most of the 650 members take part remotely, turning a gladiatorial arena, in which Mr. Johnson was once a big cat, into Mr. Starmer’s courtroom. |
| “There’s no doubt that the current setup plays to his advantage,” said Parvais Jabbar, a lawyer who has worked with Mr. Starmer on human rights cases. “Keir is not a shouter or a screamer. He’s asking questions in an inquisitorial way, but he also examines the responses he receives.” | “There’s no doubt that the current setup plays to his advantage,” said Parvais Jabbar, a lawyer who has worked with Mr. Starmer on human rights cases. “Keir is not a shouter or a screamer. He’s asking questions in an inquisitorial way, but he also examines the responses he receives.” |
| With an 80-seat majority, Mr. Johnson remains the dominant figure on the British political landscape — a reality that was driven home when he fell ill and analysts had trouble even imagining who might succeed him. Mr. Starmer can hold the government to account for its failures, but he cannot realistically force any significant changes to its policies. | With an 80-seat majority, Mr. Johnson remains the dominant figure on the British political landscape — a reality that was driven home when he fell ill and analysts had trouble even imagining who might succeed him. Mr. Starmer can hold the government to account for its failures, but he cannot realistically force any significant changes to its policies. |
| Still, the combination of a pandemic that defies easy solutions and a sure-footed new opponent has put Mr. Johnson on the defensive. This seems particularly true on Wednesdays during the ritual known as Prime Minister’s Questions, or PMQ’s, when the head of the government opens with a very brief statement and then faces jabs from the opposition leader, who in this case is Mr. Starmer. | Still, the combination of a pandemic that defies easy solutions and a sure-footed new opponent has put Mr. Johnson on the defensive. This seems particularly true on Wednesdays during the ritual known as Prime Minister’s Questions, or PMQ’s, when the head of the government opens with a very brief statement and then faces jabs from the opposition leader, who in this case is Mr. Starmer. |
| Mr. Johnson is not the first prime minister to chafe under this scrutiny. Harold Macmillan admitted to feeling physically sick in advance. Tony Blair superstitiously wore the same pair of shoes each time he entered the chamber — or as he put it “the place of execution” — for PMQ’s. “I hated it,” he said. | Mr. Johnson is not the first prime minister to chafe under this scrutiny. Harold Macmillan admitted to feeling physically sick in advance. Tony Blair superstitiously wore the same pair of shoes each time he entered the chamber — or as he put it “the place of execution” — for PMQ’s. “I hated it,” he said. |
| Often, the lucky brogues weren’t lucky enough. | Often, the lucky brogues weren’t lucky enough. |
| “Your answers get longer and more convoluted; your tone becomes more shrill; your face gets redder as the paucity of your argument becomes plainer,” Mr. Blair later recalled. “You glance sideways, imploring your own benches to give some sign of support and see the look of embarrassment on their faces.” | “Your answers get longer and more convoluted; your tone becomes more shrill; your face gets redder as the paucity of your argument becomes plainer,” Mr. Blair later recalled. “You glance sideways, imploring your own benches to give some sign of support and see the look of embarrassment on their faces.” |
| Preparing for these sessions is time-consuming. Each week, the leaders brainstorm with their advisers, trying to guess what subjects will come up, honing their answers and fortifying themselves with lines of attack. | Preparing for these sessions is time-consuming. Each week, the leaders brainstorm with their advisers, trying to guess what subjects will come up, honing their answers and fortifying themselves with lines of attack. |
| Unlike Mr. Starmer, Mr. Johnson is not known for his meticulous homework. As foreign secretary, he treated parliamentary questions more lightly than did some of his colleagues, according to Alistair Burt, a former Conservative lawmaker who served as a junior minister at the Foreign Office at the time. | Unlike Mr. Starmer, Mr. Johnson is not known for his meticulous homework. As foreign secretary, he treated parliamentary questions more lightly than did some of his colleagues, according to Alistair Burt, a former Conservative lawmaker who served as a junior minister at the Foreign Office at the time. |
| “He has the confidence,” Mr. Burt said, “Boris has never been fazed by the fact he had to answer questions.” | “He has the confidence,” Mr. Burt said, “Boris has never been fazed by the fact he had to answer questions.” |
| Mr. Starmer, however, poses an unusual challenge. He is “a forensic lawyer, brought up in a courtroom where there is virtual silence when a point is made,” Mr. Burt said. He also reads the fine print. | Mr. Starmer, however, poses an unusual challenge. He is “a forensic lawyer, brought up in a courtroom where there is virtual silence when a point is made,” Mr. Burt said. He also reads the fine print. |
| In their second encounter, last week, Mr. Starmer pressed Mr. Johnson about why, until March 12, the government advised that it was “very unlikely” people in nursing homes would be affected by the virus. New statistics showed that nursing home deaths account for 40 percent of coronavirus fatalities. | In their second encounter, last week, Mr. Starmer pressed Mr. Johnson about why, until March 12, the government advised that it was “very unlikely” people in nursing homes would be affected by the virus. New statistics showed that nursing home deaths account for 40 percent of coronavirus fatalities. |
| Mr. Johnson denied the government ever put out that advice, prompting the Labour Party to publish a link to the document, which the government withdrew on March 13. Mr. Starmer demanded that Mr. Johnson correct the record; he refused, weakly accusing Mr. Starmer of citing official statements “selectively and misleadingly.” | Mr. Johnson denied the government ever put out that advice, prompting the Labour Party to publish a link to the document, which the government withdrew on March 13. Mr. Starmer demanded that Mr. Johnson correct the record; he refused, weakly accusing Mr. Starmer of citing official statements “selectively and misleadingly.” |
| Mr. Johnson’s travails have coincided with a push by his Conservative Party to bring all lawmakers back in person after the next recess. They insist it is a simple matter of fairness: the government cannot ask other people to go back to their jobs while exempting members of Parliament, said Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the House of Commons, whose self-consciously archaic mannerisms earned him the nickname, “the honorable member for the 18th century.” | Mr. Johnson’s travails have coincided with a push by his Conservative Party to bring all lawmakers back in person after the next recess. They insist it is a simple matter of fairness: the government cannot ask other people to go back to their jobs while exempting members of Parliament, said Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the House of Commons, whose self-consciously archaic mannerisms earned him the nickname, “the honorable member for the 18th century.” |
| Updated June 30, 2020 | |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | |
| Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles. | |
| A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. | |
| The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth. | |
| The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave. | |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | |
| But the Conservatives also believe a more crowded House of Commons would function better than the current one, in which a handful of lawmakers attend in person while the rest join virtually from their homes. | But the Conservatives also believe a more crowded House of Commons would function better than the current one, in which a handful of lawmakers attend in person while the rest join virtually from their homes. |
| “It’s much easier to manage, control and communicate with members of Parliament if they are on site, rather than having them dispersed and communicating with each other via WhatsApp,” said Ruth Fox, director of the Hansard Society, a research organization focused on Parliament. | “It’s much easier to manage, control and communicate with members of Parliament if they are on site, rather than having them dispersed and communicating with each other via WhatsApp,” said Ruth Fox, director of the Hansard Society, a research organization focused on Parliament. |
| Given that several members of Parliament contracted the virus earlier this year, many are reluctant to return. The speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, warned he would suspend sittings if too many people piled into the chamber. | Given that several members of Parliament contracted the virus earlier this year, many are reluctant to return. The speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, warned he would suspend sittings if too many people piled into the chamber. |
| For now, no more than 50 lawmakers can attend at any time, and a fair proportion of those are drawn from the opposition. That suggests Mr. Johnson has little hope of surrounding himself with cheering supporters any time soon. | For now, no more than 50 lawmakers can attend at any time, and a fair proportion of those are drawn from the opposition. That suggests Mr. Johnson has little hope of surrounding himself with cheering supporters any time soon. |
| Even if the members were to pack the chamber’s green-leather benches, the pandemic would create a very different mood. Anguished debates about why so many people died in nursing homes do not lend themselves to cheers or catcalls. Mr. Johnson’s ability to parry questions from Mr. Starmer, several analysts said, will ultimately matter less than his government’s handling of the virus. | Even if the members were to pack the chamber’s green-leather benches, the pandemic would create a very different mood. Anguished debates about why so many people died in nursing homes do not lend themselves to cheers or catcalls. Mr. Johnson’s ability to parry questions from Mr. Starmer, several analysts said, will ultimately matter less than his government’s handling of the virus. |
| Still, they said, the image of a prime minister, isolated and wilting under the scrutiny of a confident Labour leader could chip away at the breezy triumphalism Mr. Johnson has shown since his landslide election victory. | Still, they said, the image of a prime minister, isolated and wilting under the scrutiny of a confident Labour leader could chip away at the breezy triumphalism Mr. Johnson has shown since his landslide election victory. |
| “It’s easy to see the House of Commons as a sort of vaudeville theater and ask, ‘Why does this matter?’” said Tony Travers, a professor of politics at the London School of Economics. “It does matter, not only because millions of people watch it. Having a good opposition leader, doing harm to the prime minister, does have consequences on morale, particularly during bad times.” | “It’s easy to see the House of Commons as a sort of vaudeville theater and ask, ‘Why does this matter?’” said Tony Travers, a professor of politics at the London School of Economics. “It does matter, not only because millions of people watch it. Having a good opposition leader, doing harm to the prime minister, does have consequences on morale, particularly during bad times.” |